If Life Were Like This
by BlackHelix
Summary: What would life be like if Alice and the rest of the gang had been in highschool when the Virus was released. Would they be able to fight back against the unrelenting force of Umbrella? Authors Note: Story is being updated once again.
1. New Beginnings

**Okay I know I've got another story going an I've got an update for it somewhere just got to find it, however this one has been bugging me for some time so I thought I'd just put it down. **

**Living the Dream of my life,**

**I was alone,**

**No one in sight,**

**This love,**

**Make me believe you're the only one,**

**Never give up our day has come**

_**Judas Priest – New Beginnings**_

**XXX**

The sun blared down on the concrete surface, only adding to the already boiling hot surface beneath Alice's feet. She sighed as she stretched shutting the car door behind her with a small kick as she turned to face Carlos who was stumbling slightly out of the car with a long loud yawn. She looked away from Carlos to see her adoptive mother beaming at the house, her smile almost splitting her face in two.

"Isn't it just beautiful," Mrs Olivera almost squealed out.

Alice couldn't help but let a small smile fall on her own lips as she turned to face the two story blue wooden house with a medium brown roof, a white picket fence surrounding and enclosing the front yard. It was a stereo typical American house and surprisingly enough it made Alice feel comfortable.

Carlos's reply was to simply yawn once again which caused Mrs Olivera to wrap him in a tight hug earning herself a small groan and a long fake exhausted drawn out 'mom' but still when she pulled back she found her son smiling back at her. She turned to face Alice who was still giving the house a look over probably trying to figure out what it was like inside.

"How long till the removal van get's here?" Carlos asked shutting the car door before stepping up to the picket fence gate.

Alice checked her watch and spoke up, "About an hour or two." She smiled when a small grumble came from Carlos as he pushed open the gate making his way down the path. Alice turned to face Mrs Olivera, "Coming mom?"

Mrs Olivera smiled even brighter and with a nod she wrapped her arm around her daughters shoulder. She had never referred to Alice as her adoptive daughter; to her she was always the daughter she wanted but the daughter she could never have.

Alice ran her eyes over the neighbourhood as Mrs Olivera fiddled with the keys trying to find the right one for the front door. It looked like a nice enough neighbourhood, probably because Raccoon City was home to Umbrella and one thing she knew was Umbrella kept things clean. The street had an urban look to it, not to rich but definitely not shabby looking, the street looked clean and seemed normal with people watering their lawns as morning jogs were taken.

"Whoa," Carlos breathed out, his jaw dropping at the large interior of the house once the door was opened, "How did you afford this?"

"The new job pays well," Mrs Olivera beamed once again, "Wait till you two see your rooms."

Alice snapped her attention back to her mother as she herself stepped into the house admiring the large interior herself, still one thing left to ask. "Bedroom come with a bathroom of my own?" she was never a selfish person and she loved Carlos, he wasn't only her brother but her best friend but sharing a bathroom with a teenage boy who had just started to learn how to shave was troublesome.

Mrs Olivera smiled back and with a nod she watched Alice smile back at her before giving her a small squeeze hug. She returned the hug before moving throughout the house going from room to room checking for any inconsistencies but she found none.

Alice had to admit her mother's new job did offer a hell of a lot more perks; shorter hours, a hell of a lot more pay and she seemed more content and happier with her new job than her old one.

"Let's go see our rooms," Carlos clapped his hands together giving a rub of them before clambering up the stairs.

Alice rolled her eyes before following Carlos up the stairs. Once she reached the top she glanced down the stairs making note that not one step made a squeak, Umbrella really did out do themselves.

"Holy crap, I can put my home theatre here, my paintball armour can sit here and my bed can go here and..."

Alice rolled her eyes once again as she walked past the large bedroom that held an excited Carlos. The man had been making plans ever since he was eleven, to get a home theatre with surround sound but as their mother had put it, if he wanted something as big as that he had to get a job and pay for it himself and an eager Carlos agreed to it so he had gotten his first job as a stock boy at thirteen and a half.

She stepped into the next room taking in the large interior, if her room was this big she could just imagine her mother's room, it was bound to be enormous. Alice had to admit she was happy when she found out they were moving, there was just too many bad memories in their old house. She never had any friends other than Carlos, she was always ignored at school which was okay with her but it wasn't until Mr Olivera her adoptive father and Carlos's father had died from a heart attack had everything really taken a turn for the worse. Their mother's mood had dropped dramatically and everyday life seemed to change along with it, so eventually they had packed up and decided it was time to start over again, a new beginning.

"The trucks arrived!" Mrs Olivera called out

Alice snapped herself out of her daze and looked down towards her watch; the truck was early, real early. With a shrug Alice made her way down stairs and outside to the truck currently pulling up into the driveway.

"I don't suppose they could've reversed parked," Carlos grumbled stepping up next to Alice as the truck's engine finally died.

"Aw come on Carlos look on the bright side the exercise will do you good," she chuckled as Carlos glared at her. Alice made her way down to the truck where the removalists was already pulling down and raising the lift.

A small giggle caught Alice's attention and she whipped around towards the sound noticing a laughing redhead stumble outside next door, the redhead looked about her age as did the black haired woman that stumbled out the door with a face splitting smile plastered on her face.

"Hey," the redhead called out between laughs.

Alice gave a courteous nod in the young woman's direction as Carlos fell in beside her giving a small nudge to Alice as he waved furiously to the redhead a huge face splitting grin on his face.

"Can we give you a hand?" the black haired woman asked as she watched her friend slowly stop her laughter.

"That's nice of you to off..."

"That'd be great," Carlos finished a bigger smile than before now plastered on his face.

"Oh right sweet," the redhead moved through her own yard before rounding over towards Alice, "Names Claire."

"Jill," Jill spoke up after Claire had introduced herself.

"Carlos, Carlos Olivera." Carlos quickly stepped up extending his hand towards Claire and Jill.

Alice couldn't stop herself rolling her eyes even if she wanted to. "Alice," she spoke once Carlos had decided to extract his hand.

"And I'm Mrs Olivera," she stepped in between her kids giving them both playful glares, "Which happened to have been forgotten."

Claire chuckled at this and extended her hand towards the woman, "Claire Redfield I live next door with my brother and my younger sister and my best friend."

"Jill Valentine friend of Claire's," Jill followed Claire in suit.

"It's a pleasure to meet you young ladies." She smiled brightly at them before turning her attention to Alice and Carlos, "I've got to do some grocery shopping and stop in too see the new office, so unpacking is up to you both." She gave Carlos a stern look, "And by 'both'," she emphasised the word with finger quotations, "I mean you as well."

"Got it mom," Carlos mock saluted earning a glare from his mother.

"Let's hope you do, see you both later" she turned to face Alice, "Look after your brother while I'm gone." She smiled before moving towards her car.

"You got it," Alice smiled slightly as she watched their mother drive off.

"So where do we start?" Claire clapped her hands together in anticipation.

"Just grab anything and dump it anywhere, Carlos can move it to its correct position." Alice grinned this time as she watched Carlos's face fall and Claire and Jill laugh as they moved to the back of the truck. Alice couldn't help but think to herself that maybe a new beginning was just what they all needed.

**Hope you people enjoyed.**


	2. New Improved

**I'd like to say thanks for reviewing to Slim14 who is totally right – I haven't seen a high school fic either. Also to and MegFlame who have awesome Usernames. Also to RockChick11 who is a brilliant writer and I cannot wait for her updates and a big thanks to Bloom2000 who is a great reviewer.**

**Also just a little bit of information Slim 14 asked me that I'd just put out there;**

**Alice, Claire, Casper and L.J. are 17**

**Jill, Carlos, Rain, Chris, Nicholai, Luther are 18**

**Kmart and Angela are 15**

**Yeah, **

**It's the new improved latest version of me.  
>I got new jeans<br>Got new self-esteem, **

**Yeah**

_**Treaty of Paris – New Improved**_

**XXX**

Alice, Claire and Jill chuckled as they watched Carlos struggle to manoeuvre a large glass cabinet around boxes to its spot over by the fire place. It had taken a good four hours to get all the furniture and boxes inside the house, even with all the help they had. God Alice could only imagine how long it would have taken if it was only her and Carlos and the two lazy removalists – check that just her, Carlos was as lazy as the removalists.

"Careful now it's breakable," Alice commented earning a death glare from Carlos and chuckles from the two women beside her.

"So you'll be going to Raccoon City High I guess?" Claire piped up, diverting her attention away from the grunting man.

"I guess," Alice gave a shrug.

"What are you?" Jill asked.

"Junior," Alice commented dryly.

"Finally," Claire huffed but smiled at the same time.

"Finally?" Alice questioned turning to face Claire with a raised eyebrow.

"Yeah you see Claire's brother is going to be a senior this year, so will I, her sister's going to be a freshman and so Claire has no one to hang out with when class is in." Jill gave Claire a small nudge with her shoulder and a warm smile.

"Hey now I do," Claire scrunched up her face, "Depending on what class you end up in." Claire turned to face the other woman, silently praying in her head she wouldn't end up having to sit through another year by herself in a classroom with Michelle Harper.

"I guess I'll have to see when I register, anything I should know about the school?" Alice asked, more too Claire than to Jill. It wasn't that she didn't like the woman...who was she kidding the woman was getting on her nerves and she'd only met her four hours ago.

"Well the people you have to watch out for are Michelle Harper, head cheerleader of the high school football team." Jill announced.

"Yeah or in simple terms 'The Bitch'," Claire quoted with fingers.

"Then there's Tommy Vahanna, Quarterback of the football team." Jill rolled her eyes.

"And there's the whole football team," Claire commented.

Alice nodded her understanding, she knew from personal experience exactly how cruel football players could be. Sure they could run around a football and not break a sweat – but so could she, sure they could get into fights and come out on top – but so could she.

"Oh then there's Luther West, Basketball Captain, the guys a player and the most stupidest jerk around. He's in love with himself." Jill huffed as she rolled her eyes.

"Oh!" Claire piped up, "Then there's Casper."

"Oh yes Casper Wesker," Jill grinned, "You don't so much as have to watch out for him as he is very quiet."

"Yeah but he's cute and that pretty makes up for it," Claire nodded to Alice giving her a smile and earning one in return, "Trust me you'll do a double take when you see him."

Carlos dropped the cabinet to the wooden floor with a loud bang earning all the other occupants attention, "I can't believe this I'm breaking my back moving this thing and your sitting there talking about boys."

Alice couldn't contain the grin, "Aw come on Carlos you're the man off the house, plus it'd be a shame if we didn't put those muscles of yours to good use." Alice heard the small chuckles from Claire and Jill as Carlos grumbled before leaning down to pick the cabinet up again.

"Why don't you get your lazy ass over here and help me out," Carlos grunted as he struggled to lift it.

Alice rolled her eyes pushing herself off the bench top of the kitchen before making her way to the adjoining lounge room that occupied the struggling man. She squatted down getting her hand's comfortable under the lengthy glass cabinet before lifting it with only slight difficulty. Carlos and herself scuffled over towards the wall by the fire place before placing the glass cabinet down and giving it a slight push to put it in place. "Where would men be without us?"

"Happy and in bliss," Carlos answered panting slightly.

Alice opened her mouth but before she could reply to his comment the door opened and in walked their mother.

"Hey mom," Carlos waved, making his way over to her.

Alice shut her mouth and glared at him, coward he couldn't even face her without involving their mother. "How's the new office?"

"Great just great," she smiled, "It's large and I mean seriously large."

"So what's to eat?" Carlos asked trying to sneak a look into the grocery bags their mother was carrying.

"Food," she rolled her eyes at her son before moving towards the kitchen. She stopped in her tracks noticing the two young women from before now standing in her kitchen, "Well hello again."

"Hey," Claire smiled at the woman, "We were just helping with the moving furniture part."

"Oh no need to explain with the way my son is when it comes to do anything I'm not surprised you're helping." She moved around them putting the grocery bags on the bench, "I'm making fresh pizza for lunch, how about you two ladies stay for lunch?"

"Well we wouldn't want to impose," Jill spoke up.

"Don't be silly plus I make good pizza and it'd be good to hear about the High school I'll be sending my kids too," Mrs. Olivera smiled before moving towards the door, "Carlos come help me with the shopping."

A disgruntled groan later and Carlos was headed for the door a small smile on Alice's lips. Once Carlos was out the door she turned to face the two women now exiting the kitchen, "She's right you know she does make good pizza," Alice wasn't ready to let Claire slip away just yet. She felt maybe just maybe she could make a friend.

Claire shrugged turning to face Jill, "We really have nothing better to do and plus..." Claire turned to Alice a mischievous smile playing on her lips, "We've yet to see the room."

Alice's smile grew, she had to admit the redhead was bold very bold. "Well let me give you the tour," she extended her arm towards the stairs before making her way towards them.

"What exactly do your parents do to earn enough to buy this house," Jill asked look around the enormous house as she followed after Claire.

"It's just my mother and she works as Head advertiser at the UAA," Alice replied ignoring the curious looks while stepping around tall and short boxes.

"Wow just the word Umbrella was enough for me to understand," Claire nodded, deciding against asking her previous thought question.

"Yeah loaded huh?" Alice smiled finally reaching the stairs and making her way up, "Umbrella brought the house for us I guess they thought we'd need a mansion." She waved her hand towards the now visible second floor ceiling.

"Complaining are we?" Claire raised an eyebrow towards Alice who half heartedly turned to face her when she reached the top of the stairs.

"Well there's always an angle to everything," Alice added before moving through the winding hallways. "I just hope I don't get lost," Alice whispered under her breath but the chuckle from Claire behind her indicated she wasn't as quiet as she had hoped.

"I think we should have told someone where we were headed," Claire chuckled as Alice nodded confirming that going off was not such a good idea.

"Just don't blame me if we get lost cause remember this is all new to me to," Alice smiled and with a triumphant 'yes' screamed in her head she found her room. "And this people is my room," she bowed extending her arm towards her room, more for the redhead than the woman behind her.

"Wow this is huge," Claire commented stepping into the room, "About twice the size of my room, I wonder if I should get Chris to extend it."

Jill scoffed at the thought, "Like he'd do it, you know him and projects." At her comment she received a small laugh from Claire. Yeah Chris and projects weren't a good combination, sure yeah he'd say he'd do them and he'd start – it was finishing that was the problem.

"Sounds just like Carlos," Alice commented breaking Jill out of her reverie.

"What could you possibly do with all this space?" Jill asked, deciding for a subject change.

"Well I have a double bed, two drawers, a bookshelf, a cabinet, a computer desk, TV set, stereo system and a paintball armour rack." Alice shrugged.

"Don't tell me that closets walk in?" Jill questioned ignoring the answer to her previous question and instead pointing to the doors on the other side of the room.

"Yep but it's not really that big." Alice gave a shrug of her shoulders. She wasn't what you would call a girly girl, sure she had clothes but she didn't have millions of clothes and she definitely didn't have millions of shoes – she just had what she needed.

"Paint ball? You play paint ball?" Claire asked barely keeping the excitement out of her voice.

"Yep me and Carlos," Alice nodded with yet another smile spreading on her face. She couldn't remember the last time she had smiled so much...actually she didn't think she had smiled as much as she had today as she had in her whole life combined.

"That's awesome so do me, Jill and my brother; we should all go together when you get settled in." Claire said the excitement now obviously clear in her voice.

"I warn you I'm good," Alice's smile grew tenfold happy she had made the redhead excited.

"I'm better," Jill commented defensively earning a glance from Alice while an oblivious Claire wandered around the large room. She had noticed it in the kitchen while Alice and Claire conversed over the high school and she had noticed it on the way up the stairs but she had thought nothing of it until the smile a few seconds ago that confirmed her suspicions and there was no way in hell that was happening.

"And I'm the best," Carlos jumped inside the room wearing his paintball helmet.

Alice drew her attention away from Jill and with a roll of her eyes she tapped Carlos's helmet hearing the hollow tapping sound. "It seems I was right there's nothing in there."

"Ha ha," Carlos drew out sarcastically as he pulled the helmet off. "So it seems I'm going to be seeing a lot of you," Carlos smiled at Jill which earned him a curious glance.

"What do you mean?" Jill asked, somewhat already knowing the answer but wanting to confirm it.

"Carlos is a senior too," the shocked look shot Alice's way was priceless and she knew she had won this round.

**Hope you enjoyed this chapter. It was mostly to describe the different relationships the characters will have. Also Casper Wesker isn't Albert Wesker but he is related to the man – how? Well you'll just have to wait and see. Also the UAA stands for Umbrella Advertisement Agency because come on if your too busy trying to create Bio-weapons you wouldn't have time to fix up and advertisement campaign.**


	3. Remember The Name

**Okay well I'm back been gone for a few days because of a dramatic heatwave that is still hitting where I live...could literally die from heat right now anyway enough with me. I'd like to thank everyone who has reviewed you guys are awesome capital 'A'. Plus yes Alice will end up infected with the T-Virus but there's a little twist. This chapter is extra long because I figured I owe my reviewers a longer Chapter for the wait anyway I hope you guy's enjoy it.**

**HOLLLLLLLLLLYYYYYYY CRRAPPPPPPPPPPP! You guys seen the Retribution Trailer? (I'll miss Claire) but holy crap.**

**Since I haven't done it yet I figured what the heck...**

**Disclaimer – Don't own Resident Evil sadly, nor do I own the character's...But Paul if your reading this and you no longer want the movie rights you could always you know *wink wink nudge nudge***

**This is ten percent luck,  
><strong>**Twenty percent skill,  
>Fifteen percent concentrated power of will,<br>Five percent pleasure,  
><strong>**Fifty percent pain,  
>And a hundred percent reason to,<br>****Remember the name**

_**Fort Minor – Remember The Name**_

**XXX**

Alice's alarm clock blared causing her to groan as she reached out fumbling with the top of the dastardly machine until she felt the off button and with a slam of her fist the machine went silent. So with a yawn she turned over and curled back up underneath the warmth of her blankets.

"Come on get up you," Mrs Olivera nudged her daughter's foot at the end of the bed causing her daughter to groan and poke her head out from under the ruffled blanket.

"It's 7:15 mom," Alice groaned ducking back under the blanket and with a small yawn she spoke again, "It's too early."

"Come on Claire and Jill are going to be coming around at 7:30 to take you to register at Raccoon City High and remember to ask if you start tomorrow instead of next week." She nodded and smiled knowingly as she watched her daughter shoot up out of bed, dragging all the sheets and blankets with her.

It had been a week since Alice had met Claire and Jill and they had been over every day to help move furniture to its place and help unpack boxes, now everything was pretty much in its place just a few odd ends here and there. During the week she had made a good friend out of Claire or at least she hoped she had, and she had somewhat made one out of Jill, although strained and if the redhead saw it then she didn't comment.

Sometime during the week the redhead had mentioned that school started today and suggested that herself and Jill take her to register for Junior year at the campus and before Alice could even answer Carlos had piped up agreeing eagerly a little too eagerly.

"I thought that'd work," Mrs. Olivera stated with a smile as she folded Alice's laundry onto her bed.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Alice questioned her mother as she ruffled through one of her clothes drawers.

"Nothing," she smiled giving a small pat to the clothes on the bed as the smile continued to grow, "It's just good to see you making friends."

Alice turned to face her mother a small smile on her own face, "I guess." She gave a small shrug towards her while trying to conceal the small smile on her own face.

Mrs. Olivera rolled her eyes and nodded towards the bed, "Don't forget to make the bed, now I better go wake your lazy brother up."

Alice chuckled and nodded as her mother left her room shutting the door behind her so Alice could get dressed. Alice supposed it wouldn't take long for Carlos to get up once he realises just who he was getting up for.

It was a good ten minutes later till Alice made her way down the stairs however she halted half way down noting the small chuckles and female voices. It was obvious to distinguish Jill's British accent and Claire's was quickly recognizable which brought a smile to her face as she continued down the stairs.

"You're such a klutz, go change the shirt." Mrs. Olivera commented giving her son a small push as Alice made the final step giving her brother a look over.

"What happened to you?"

"His breakfast attacked him," Mrs. Olivera pointed out as her son grumbled making his way up the stairs, "Want something to eat before you go?"

"Nah I'll just grab something later if I get hungry," Alice answered smiling holding back her laughter.

"Just don't let your brother eat out," Mrs. Olivera smiled as she returned to the kitchen Alice in tow.

"Hey," Alice nodded in Claire's and Jill's direction, "When did you two get here?" She looked down at the kitchen table to see the large photo album in front of Claire and Jill, oh she definitely didn't like where this was going.

"About an hour," Jill commented with a sideways grin.

Alice snapped her attention towards her mother who looked at her innocently.

"Hey you were a cute baby and it was just lying on the table so we started looking at it," Mrs. Olivera smiled sweetly as she turned over the page for the still silent Claire who was far too interested in laughing at some of the photos.

"Just lying on the table eh," Alice commented sarcastically, rephrasing her mother's words.

"I didn't know you were into Spiderman," Jill smiled evilly towards the other woman.

Alice blushed heavily from embarrassment before moving towards the photo album, "Okay mom that's enough." Last thing she needed was Jill better yet Claire seeing anymore ridiculous photos of her as a baby with T-shirts saying 'I'm too sexy for my nappy', Jill already had too much information to tease her about she didn't need to give the black haired woman anymore fuel and Claire well Claire she had already within a week found out how clumsy Alice could be. Although Alice did have to admit being clumsy was new to her.

Mrs. Olivera stepped in front of Alice blocking her path to the photo album. "Don't be so silly, there just photos." Mrs. Olivera commented.

"Okay let's go," Carlos bounded down the stairs almost tripping over on the last step.

Alice shook her head masking the small smile; maybe Carlos's clumsiness was contagious. She revelled in the fact that she could get Claire and Jill away from the album before any more embarrassing pictures could be shown. "Yeah we better be going," Alice paused for a split second before urgency seeped into her tone, "Like now" Alice hoped the two women got the pleading sound in her tone and would take pity on her. She was sure Jill did but the woman wasn't speaking up to help or move but she was grateful Claire did albeit standing up with an amused smile on her face.

"Looks like I'll have to view it later," Claire spoke for the first time since Alice had come down stairs.

"It's always here sweetheart whenever you want to see the photos feel free to look." Mrs. Olivera smiled once again finally closing the god forbidden photo album, "You four have fun now!" she called out once the group had reached the front door after Alice had started ushering the other three towards the door rather urgently.

"We will!" Alice called back before shutting the door behind her with a grateful sigh.

Claire had to laugh at that as she turned to face Alice, she had to she just had too she couldn't hold it in for much longer. "So you're 'Too sexy for your nappy' huh?"

Alice groaned the red coloured embarrassment creeping up her cheeks once again.

It wasn't long till they arrived at the Raccoon City High School; Jill had driven them pretty much since she was the only one with a car that they could use. Alice stepped out of the vehicle enjoying the feel of solidity underneath her feet, she was okay with vehicles but she preferred to be in control of the movement.

"So where too?" Carlos asked gawking at any female that walked past.

Claire took in the students entering the high school through the large double doors at the entrance of the building, god she hated school it was always 'Claire don't do that', 'Claire do this', 'Claire detention' or her favourite 'Claire you will be suspended' seriously what principal actually thought she cared? Free, legal days off school. "This way," Claire nodded taking a deep breath in and releasing it before moving in the direction she had nodded.

"Hey Carlos," Alice grinned leaning in to her brother so she could whisper to him, "Your drooling." She watched as his senses came back to him and he wiped his mouth hurriedly causing her to laugh as she followed after Claire.

"I'm going to get you for that," Carlos whispered following after Alice.

"So welcome to Raccoon City High," Claire declared pushing open the double doors as the group stepped inside, "Largest High school in all of America." Claire commented in an 'etcetera, etcetera' tone.

"Plus the shittiest students in all of America," a young blond haired teen popped up beside Claire with a young brown haired teen coming up beside her.

Claire gave a small whack to the back of the blonde girls head, "No swearing."

"Claire I'm in high school now," the blond complained.

"I don't care if your fifty and rich and living in a god damn manor." Claire declared aloud causing students to look at her as they walked past but she gave no notice of them.

"Well there goes you in my will," the blonde smiled before giving Claire a hug.

"Angela," Claire nodded towards the brown haired teenager before turning to Alice and Carlos. "This is my sister Kmart, don't ask and that's her bestie Angela Ashford." She pointed to each as she spoke, "Kmart, Angela this is Alice and Carlos." She repeated the same action towards Alice and Carlos.

"The new neighbours," Kmart said enthusiastically, "This is awesome!" She almost jumped up and down but contained the hyper activity waiting to explode.

"And I'm Chris, Claire's brother." A light brown haired man stepped up next to Kmart extending his hand to Carlos who shook it before extending it towards Alice.

Alice took it and gave it a small shake before extracting her hand; she had yet to be introduced to Claire's family other than seeing them outside every now and then. Claire definitely looked different to Chris and Kmart, Chris being brown haired and Kmart being blond but who was she to say they weren't related. "So where do I sign up?" Alice asked cutting the introductions short; after all she wanted to get the dreaded art of signing up over and done with.

"Right this way," Claire moved once again continuing down the long school corridor lined with lockers.

Alice fell in step beside Claire as they took up the middle spot, Jill, Kmart and Angela taking point as they lead them through the school while Carlos and Chris hung back picking up the rear while they got to know each other over sport. "So no bag?" Alice questioned with a raised eyebrow, "No classes the first day back or your choice?"

Claire smirked as she turned to face Alice, "I'm surprised you don't know the answer to that yet."

"Why do I have the feeling the principal is going to tell that I shouldn't hang out with Ms. Redfield as she is a bad influence?" Alice asked a smirk of her own appearing on her face.

"Wha- I'm offended," Claire put on her best offended look but couldn't hold it for long as small chuckles escaped her, "Who am I kidding of course he will and it'll have something to do with all the detentions I get better yet suspensions."

"Suspensions?" Alice asked with a raised eyebrow, Claire definitely didn't take her as the type to get suspended.

"Yeah, I'm surprised Mr. Boshck hasn't kicked me out yet," Claire crinkled her brows. It was one of those mysteries you just never figured out.

"And welcome to what we call hell," Jill pointed at the doors that led to the school office.

"Were already in hell," Carlos looked around the bustling school corridor.

Chris shook his head, "Trust me compared to the office and Mr. Boshck the rest of the school is heaven." Chris grumbled.

Kmart nodded enthusiastically, "Whatever you do don't mention you know Claire." She shuddered at the thoughts of her own interview she had, had with the principal when she came to sign up, "It helps...a lot."

Claire crossed her arms, "Not my fault the science lab blew up." She grumbled out earning a chuckle from Jill and a curious look from Alice.

"Riiiight," Kmart drew out before turning to Alice and giving her a gentle slap on the back, "Good luck and remember no mentioning Claire." She nodded once more before turning and walking down the crowded hall.

Alice smiled lightly at Kmart who walked off with Angela in tow. It couldn't be that bad mentioning Claire could it? But then again she heard science lab and explosion in the same sentence, what else did the redhead get up to at the high school to make her so hated by the principal?

"Angela would wish you luck if she wasn't so quiet, I sometimes wonder if she even talks to Kmart better yet if she can talk." Jill said as she watched the two younger girls walk away before turning to a nodding Claire.

"Anyway I got to go catch up with Nicholai before the bell rings see ya tomorrow Carlos and good luck with Mr. Boshck." Chris gave a wave over his shoulder as he took off down the corridor.

Alice was about to speak up but the sound of the bell ringing cut off whatever she was going to say. God damn it she hadn't even started her first day and she could already tell that bell wasn't going to have a long life if she had any say in it.

"Well good luck," Jill grinned, oh yes she was enjoying this. With a wave she turned making her way down the corridor, realising a few seconds later Claire had yet to follow, so she paused with a small sigh before turning back to where Claire was still chatting with Alice.

"Don't seem to eager, he hates eager people and don't smile, he hates that too..." Claire paused, "Think of him as the Grinch just without the green..." she paused once more, "Then again." Claire shook her head removing those thoughts from her head, last thing she needed was to get Alice in trouble before she even started her first day, "Well good luck." Claire leant in closer to Alice to whisper conspiratorially, "And seriously don't mention your friends with me." Claire pulled back with a smile before jogging to catch up with Jill.

Alice watched the two of them continue down the hall a wave from Claire and an annoyed groan from Jill that was barely audible over the shutting of classroom doors.

"I'm thinking maybe mom was right and we should wait till she can come too," Carlos made a move to make a break for it but was halted when Alice grabbed the back of his collar.

"Suck it up butter cup were going in," Alice nodded before releasing her brothers collar.

They – better yet Carlos – had pestered their mother about getting them signed up for school and since their mother couldn't do it for at least two to three weeks she had rang up some people from the Umbrella Corporation and got them to pull some strings so that herself and Carlos could sign themselves up for school legally since they weren't of legal age. She'd been damned if Carlos bailed now especially since it was his idea in the first place, she would have been perfectly happy if she had two or three weeks before going to school – albeit with no one to talk to and no redhead to make laugh – but nope Carlos had to go and be an eager beaver.

"Why do you have to make it sound like war?" Carlos grumbled as Alice rolled her eyes opening the door for him. He took a glance down the hall at the now visible double doors that led to the outside of the high school better yet freedom, he began to wonder how far he could make it before Alice would catch him better yet tackle him.

"Don't even think about it," Alice warned.

With a sigh Carlos stepped into the office. He was immediately hit by the smell of disinfectant, the place reeked of hospital and it sent a small shudder up his spine. "I wonder whose blood they cleaned up." Carlos whispered to Alice as she stepped up to the front desk.

"Hello there and how can help you?" the tall African American woman turned to face them as she placed folders down on the front desk with a wide genuine smile.

"I'm Alice Abernathy and this is my brother Carlos Olivera," she continued even after the strange look she received from the woman at the mention of different last names. She and Carlos were used to it, "We have an appointment with Mr. Boshck."

"Ah the newbie's, explains why I haven't seen or heard about you before." She nodded more to herself then her company, she brushed her arm over the keyboard knocking a few of the overcrowding books to the floor without losing the smile once, "Take a seat Mr. Boshck will be with you in a minute."

"Thanks..." Alice squinted as she read the name tag, "Betty." She returned the smile with one of her own before slapping her brother on the shoulder and motioning him over towards the chairs.

"You know what I think the principal is a little strange," Carlos commented leaning over to whisper in Alice's left ear once he had taken a seat.

"What do you mean?" Alice asked crossing her legs and leaning back into the chair with a bone popping stretch, she didn't bother whispering as she pretty much wasn't worried whether people heard or not.

"The walls are pink with purple poker dots," Carlos pointed out still in a whisper tone.

Alice finally took in the pink and purple poker dotted wallpaper that surrounded them. Carlos was right the principal was a little strange but then again maybe it wasn't his choice either.

"The guy's got a thing for pink and purple, don't ask me even his wife doesn't know the answer to that," Betty spoke up earning an embarrassed look from Carlos.

"And that's why whispering is rude," Alice commented with a smirk as the principal's office door opened up and a big muscular teenager with a football jacket on left the office with tears streaming down his face and sniffles echoing around the room. Alice may not have been worried before but now she was definitely thinking Carlos had the best idea.

"You're doing the talking," Carlos pointed out as he watched the kid leave the front office.

"Next!"

Alice swallowed hard as the yell echoed through the room; she gave a small tug on the front collar of her shirt before standing up.

"Good luck," Betty spoke up.

Why was everyone saying that? It wasn't going to be that bad but the image of the muscular crying teenager with the football jacket on entered her mind...it couldn't be, right?

Carlos took in Alice's hesitation and quickly ushered her towards the door using her as some type of shield as they both entered the office.

"Close the door!" the man yelled once more as he looked up from his computer, "Take a seat!"

Alice did as she was told shutting the door before sitting down Carlos following her actions.

"Miss Abernathy and Mr. Olivera brother and sister, care to tell me why you both have different names?" He asked finally looking up at them.

Alice took in the large frightening figure of a mid forties man with greying hair and growth starting to re-appear on his face. "I was adopted," Alice finally spoke, although it was none of his business – much.

"Well now adopted you say," Mr. Boshck got up before circling the two teenagers, "Adopted kids usually give me trouble. You won't be giving me trouble will you?" He asked warningly in Alice ear from behind her.

"Don't think I will," Alice answered refusing to give into her heartbeat which was begging her too allow it to beat dramatically. She wouldn't give this teacher the fear he craved.

"That's don't think I will Mr. Boshck or sir!" Mr. Boshck snapped as he re-took his seat before looking at the files on the computer, "When your mother called for the interview she had to answer a few questions..." He crossed his legs as he watched the young man in his office take in his wallpaper, "Got a problem with my wallpaper son?"

Carlos swallowed deeply before shaking his head at Mr. Boshck, "No."

"No what?" Mr. Boshck snapped again.

"No sir?" Carlos asked hoping a giant chasm would open up beneath him and swallow him up but with his luck no such thing came.

"Much better," he lowered his voice once again before continuing with his previous line of questioning. "As I said your mother had to answer a few questions and one of them was about where you live, it says here that you live on the same street as Miss Redfield better yet next door to her." He raised his eyebrows, "Now I don't suppose she made friends with you did she?"

Alice for a split second remembered the warning that Kmart and Claire had both given her but with a smile and eagerness in her voice she replied, "Definitely she's awesome." Alice had never used the word 'awesome' before but by look on Mr. Boshck's face she had definitely used it properly.

Carlos shot his sister a look before slouching down in the seat. By the look on Mr. Boshck's face they were screwed with a capital 'S'. Why did his sister have to been so damn stubborn about how people treated other's why couldn't she just go with the flow? It's what got her into fights at the previous school and what got her hated by nearly every person in the school. Well it looked like it was up to him to save their lives, "What she meant was we've spoken to Miss Redfield on occasion and even then it was small talk." He gave a wake smile towards Mr. Boshck as he sunk lower in the chair before giving a nervous chuckle, "So small in fact we don't even know her first name."

"You kidding," Alice turned to Carlos fake disbelief in her tone and on her face. She turned back to face Mr. Boshck this time with a smirk on her face, "I practically know Claire like married couple's know each other." The smirk only widen as the redness on Mr. Boshck's face grew redder, she could see the gears turning in his head and could almost spot steam coming from his ears. Oh yes she wasn't going to be intimidated no way.

Mr. Boshck cleared his throat, "You can go sign up at the front desk, and you will start tomorrow." He turned away from the teenagers if he didn't get rid of the blonde teenager now he'd kill her, "I will not tolerate you being late especially on your first day." He sat back down and glared across the table at the still smirking teenager, "First thing in the morning head straight to the office to be given your time table and where your homeroom is, you may leave." He waved his hand towards the door and watched as the blonde haired teenager left rather slowly much to his annoyance.

Alice exited the office and shut the door behind her; Carlos had already left the room before the 'You may leave' part of the sentence was concluded. Alice approached the front desk alone after Carlos had dropped down into the waiting room seats almost shaking.

"I assume that went well," Betty commented earning a smile from the blonde teen.

"Better than you think, surprisingly enough his buttons are easier to push than I thought they would be." Alice's smile grew as Betty placed papers in front of her.

"Only one thing can push his buttons as quickly as you say," Betty raised her right eyebrow, "You mentioned Miss Redfield?"

"Yep," Alice answered enthusiastically.

"Oh you got game girl and some serious courage." Betty smiled humor in her tone. "Oh right sign here and here and then your brother once he's gotten over his personal cardiac arrest over there, he will have to sign here and here." She pointed at the spot's on the paper before turning back to her computer.

Alice signed the paper with a small chuckle as Carlos stepped up beside her ready to sign his spot. She took a step back as her brother took the paper and signed it before pushing it forward towards Betty. "Thanks' Betty," Alice finished as she moved towards the door.

"No problems girl, see you back here tomorrow." Betty waved to Alice as the teenager exited the office with Carlos in tow.

"Why? Why did you have to go and do that?" Carlos asked no anger just a pleading tone in his voice, "Were screwed all through Junior year now, he's going to remember us." Carlos panicked, "All through Junior year he's going to be like 'You'." Carlos impersonated Mr. Boshck's voice when he said 'You'. "Oh god he's knows our name."

Alice rolled her eyes at Carlos, geez he was a drama queen. "Hey don't be such a downer," Alice smirked before finishing, "If mom's job goes well it'll be all through Senior too."

**I'd like to point out that Alice's appearance in the story is that off her in Extinction and that Claire's is more off her in Afterlife when she had a darker type of red hair and well you should know by now that Jill's appearance is more like in Apocalypse because to me that look really defined her she looked way better. Also as a side note I decided to use the look of Chris Redfield in 'Resident Evil 5' (The Game) instead of from the movie. Hope you guys enjoyed this chapter, next one should be up tomorrow.**


	4. Natural Disaster

**A shorter chapter than last considering last chapter if I'm right was a little over four thousand (new record for me YAY ME!) anyway I'd like to point out that the actual events with Umbrella won't take place for quite a few chapters since I'd like them to have a bit of fun with high school before the world goes to hell. Also I can't express how happy those reviews make me feel, I don't expect them but it's great to know people like the story enough to review, so thanks again to all you reviewers.**

**Also as just a little side note for people who have listened to the last song (Last Chapter) and liked it, if you type into YouTube 'Alice and Claire Remember The Name' you'll get a video with them (not mine)...short but still awesome, that's how I found the song.**

**She's so sexy  
>I had to have her<br>She's a natural, natural disaster  
>Natural disaster<strong>

_**Plain White T's – Natural Disaster**_

**XXX**

Since the incident at Raccoon City High School with the principal things had just gotten slightly interesting and eventually went from interesting to boring in a matter of hours. Alice sighed, after leaving the high school Carlos had continued to go on about the whole principal ordeal while Alice was content to just let it go. Carlos on the other hand had been so focused on panicking about the fact that the principal could poison the cafeteria food just to get even with them that he had nearly gotten run over by the late running school bus –very late–however Alice was quick enough to grab her dopey brother by the back of his shirt and drag him back before he became road kill.

Alice shook her head while holding back laughter in remembrance of how Carlos after the bus incident had started yelling at the bus driver from where he had nearly been hit. At first Alice had thought that the bus driver would just ignore Carlos after all he was just an idiotic teenager but when the large burly man stepped out of the bus looking like he hadn't had such a good start to the day, Carlos being the chicken that he was had hidden behind her and when the man took a few steps over to them Carlos had mumbled something to her about needing to by new shoe laces and had taken off in a sprint, leaving her to apologise to the burly man.

After that she had caught up with a heavily breathing Carlos and they spent the rest of the day playing video games and deciding whether or not they should pool their money together to by the Master Chief Paint ball armor set. Even somewhere during their day they had managed to knock a door of its hinges, break a window and miss place the kitchen sink – yes you heard her right – miss place the kitchen sink, how? Well she didn't even know.

Then at some point around three-thirty she had been dragged out of her house by a very scared looking Claire and an excited looking Jill, at first Alice was wondering what had spiked the black haired teenagers excitement and had gotten Claire to look so scared...and well that's how she had ended up in the clothing store of the large Raccoon City shopping complex located behind the Raccoon City town hall, with a very bored looking Claire. Now it all made sense why Claire looked so scared, in fact Alice probably would have put up one hell of a fight if she had known where they were going.

"So I'm going to take it that Jill's more the girly girl than you are?" Alice leant across to Claire so she could be heard over the loud speaker above their heads belting out 'Low' by 'Flo Rida'.

Claire shot an offended look towards Alice, "Hey just because I don't like shopping or getting my hair done etcetera etcetera doesn't mean I'm not a girly..." Claire paused with a shrug, "Oh who am I kidding if I don't get out of here soon I'm afraid the only clothes I'll be getting is a white jacket that makes me hug myself."

"What do you think?" Jill stepped out of the change rooms in yet another set of clothes.

For the forty second time in less than an hour –yes that's right forty two times in less than an hour –

Jill had stepped out with a different set of clothes on. Alice by now had memorized all of Claire's responses and smiles to each piece of clothing the black haired woman would wear. Least Claire was still taking some sought of interest –albeit very small interest that was slowly teetering to none what so ever. If it hadn't been for Carlos sitting behind them with a Mc Donald's burger in his hands and tomato sauce trailing down his chin, Claire would be the only person interested in this outing. She had lost interest about five minutes into the whole ordeal and although Jill hadn't asked Alice for her opinion the redhead made sure that she made one. At first Alice had given small smiles and nods, the occasional comment or two but after the third outfit some part of Alice's mind had started drifting.

Alice listened for Claire's response although knowing exactly what the redhead was going to say, it was going to be something like 'Wow it looks great' or 'Amazing it looks absolutely gorgeous on you' or 'Absolutely sexy'.

Alice listened to the loud whistle, having expecting it to come from Carlos she turned around to whack the man up the back of the head but found him nose deep in burgers and fries oblivious to the world as he slurped the Coca Cola up his straw. Only one thing could get her brother to stop thinking about anything that walked on two legs and wore a skirt and that was damn cheese burgers. Her curiosity peeked when she realised it wasn't Carlos; it sure as hell wasn't her and so that left one person left. Alice turned her attention away from the sauce faced Carlos towards the redhead who had disappeared from her side and was now circling Jill with genuine interest on the redheads face this time.

"Damn Jill," Claire drew out the 'Damn' before whistling once more as she circled Jill.

Jill was dressed in a black and blue tube top with long black boots and even Alice had to admit that Jill looked sexy in that outfit and she was not one to find Jill that attractive, the redhead on the other hand...well that was another story. Alice coughed slightly before trying her best to swallow down the flush that had crept up her neck to rest on her cheeks at the thought of Claire in such an outfit.

"If you don't buy that Jill, I'm so buying it myself." Claire stated circling Jill once again for her own benefit.

Oh she was so not helping Alice's composure right now, only adding to the thoughts of Alice's. Alice cleared her throat once more, she needed to get away from the redhead and fast. "Okay so I guess were done," Alice clapped her hands together standing rather quickly before pulling her still sauce faced brother up with her.

"Nope it's Claire's turn," Jill commented smiling widely at her choice of outfit.

Alice groaned, oh crap she was screwed and not the capital 'S' screwed it was the fucking capital 'SCREWED' screwed. "Awesome," Alice squeaked out as she reluctantly re-took her seat, her angry sauce faced brother glaring at her yet she was too far away with her thoughts to care.

Jill stared at Alice curiously as Claire gave her a fake smile, she had known for a while that Claire had limited interest in shopping just like she had limited interest in mechanics but they had both made a deal when they first started hanging out to try and take even a little interest in each other's interests and if you couldn't muster that...than it was all out faking it. Hell Jill had to admit although she wasn't interested in mechanics she had found some of it interesting just like she knew Claire found some off the shopping sprees they went on to be somewhat entertaining.

"Well looks like I better go pick and outfit," Claire gave another fake smile in Jill's direction before spinning on her heels and walking off to the clothes racks while mumbling something under her breath.

Jill chuckled under her own breath before spinning and stepping back into the empty dressing room.

Alice had been shifting in her seat for the last ten minutes now, her mind was running crazy and not even Carlos's fry crunching noise could distract her – then there was the slurping again. She was about ready to reach behind her and drag her brother towards her and yell at him but it wasn't his fault that her nerves were on edge.

"You ready yet Claire?" Jill called out as she checked her watch for the third time in ten minutes.

"Fine."

Alice heard the sigh as the redhead slowly opened the dressing room door and Alice swore she would pass out from anticipation any second now. Alice furrowed her brow and prayed to the man upstairs that Claire wasn't wearing anything remotely resembling what Jill had been wearing or otherwise he'd have another occupant to entertain in Heaven.

"So?" Claire asked, noting Jill's gaping look and Alice's well...she couldn't quite place it as it was stuck somewhere between someone looking like they were wanting to breathe but couldn't and appreciation of the outfit.

Jill was the first to snap out of it, she had known Claire was never one for dresses or skirts and such but that didn't mean she didn't look good in what she did like to wear, "I...um...tha-" Jill lost the sentence as she continued staring at Claire.

"Gee thanks for the answer," Claire responded sarcastically while rolling her eyes

Jill shook her head snapping out of the stupor before rising and making her way over to Claire leaving a still none breathing and now completely and blatantly staring Alice behind.

While Claire was pre-occupied with Jill, Carlos spoke up, "Hey Alice," he grinned leaning in to whisper to his sister, "You're drooling." He couldn't contain the onslaught of laughter that had escaped him when his sister reached up almost like lightning to wipe her mouth. His laughter died down but didn't disappear when Alice turned to look at him with a murderous look on her face, oh paybacks a bitch, "Told you I'd get you for that." He smirked.

Alice turned back to see Claire in her outfit but the redhead had already disappeared back into the dressing rooms leaving a glaring Jill behind. Obviously she hadn't been the only one to hear what Carlos had said, even over the speakers. But before Jill could speak to her once Carlos disappeared mumbling something about having to 'dispose of rubbish' and 'needing to find a bin' the redhead had piped up.

"This mean were heading home now?" Claire's voice sounded almost pleading like.

Jill continued glaring at Alice but replied calmly to the oblivious Claire inside the dressing room, "Sure whose turn to cook tonight?"

"Chris..." Claire paused pulling her own pants on, "So pizza?"

"Sounds great," Jill replied calmly but still glaring at the sandy blonde occupant.

If looks could kill, Alice was positive that the man upstairs would definitely have another occupant by now. The glares shot her way by Jill and the looks between the black haired woman and the redhead weren't lost on Alice but if she hadn't of guessed it before she would have definitely known after seeing the impressed look on Claire's face at Jill's outfit, she had to admit it did send a spark of jealousy through her every time a look was shared between the two.

Claire pulled down her shirt down over her hips as she stepped out of the dressing rooms flicking her hair out of her collar with her right hand, while holding the set of new clothes she in the other. "You going to join us Alice?" Claire asked looking over towards Alice.

"Don't see why not," Alice shrugged a playful smile on her face. Oh she loved making Jill squirm and the fact that all it took was being friendly with the redhead was all but a bonus to Alice. She had to admit that spending time with Claire was one of her favorite things; however getting time alone with the redhead was difficult. Alice had to be careful with what she said to the redhead because she knew one wrong word would have Jill coming to murder her in her sleep and Jill lived next door, but still that didn't mean she couldn't have some fun.

"Great," Claire smiled taking Jill's outfit of the seat she had been sitting on while Jill was in the dressing room, "I'll pay for these you got the pizza tonight." Claire smiled innocently towards Jill before moving off towards the checkouts.

"Yeah super," Jill ground out as herself and Alice fell in step behind Claire.

"What's the problem afraid something of yours may go missing?" Alice taunted as silence fell over them.

Jill turned to Alice with a smirk when they finally fell in beside Claire in the line, "Aren't you missing something Alice?"

Alice creased her brow giving some thought to the woman's question, a few seconds later and it struck her. Carlos had gone to dispose of his rubbish before more than likely returning to the dressing rooms. God damn brother of hers, she sighed pivoting as she started her stroll back in the direction she had come from.

**Quick and simple, hope you enjoyed. The next one should be up sometime today or tomorrow.**


	5. All I Have To Give

**Okay it's been three days (I think) but I seriously couldn't think of how to go about this Chapter and plus the fact I've just finished writing the rest of my other story and have started the sequel that finishing this Chapter became an issue but here it is. Also I'd like to give a huge thank you to all you reviewers who write me the nicest reviews especially to FanFicGal who left me a really really awesome review that made my day. Anyway I never expect reviews I'll continue the story without them but it's nice to have people spend a few seconds of their time to review. Thanks again.**

_But if you were my girl  
>I'd make it so we'd never be apart.<br>But my love is all I have to give  
>Without you I don't think I can live<br>I wish I could give the world to you  
><em>_**BackStreet Boys – All I Have To Give**_

_**XXX**_

Alice groaned her eye's flicking open as the beaming yellow orange light of the early risen sun came through the window and seeped its way past the curtains. She looked away from the curtains towards her alarm clock that had just flicked over from six-twenty-eight to six-twenty-nine, she glared at it for a moment hoping that it would halt the devious alarms attempt to ruin the peaceful beauty that was sleep...no such luck came.

Alice's alarm clocked blared to life at exactly six thirty, the neon red lights flashing to indicate a brand new day to wake up to. She sat up flinging her legs over the side of the bed while rubbing her neck to get rid of any kinks that had been made since she was asleep. With a yawn she got to her feet and stretched hearing the small pops and cracks that came with it.

"Ooh that didn't sound right," Carlos pointed out, half eaten apple in hand as he walked past her door.

Alice watched in surprise as Carlos walked past her door with the half eaten apple in hand. She blinked a few times trying to believe she had just seen what she saw. Nah her mind was playing tricks on her, there was no way Carlos was up at six thirty in the morning – no fucking way –. Alice shook her before trudging of down stairs to the kitchen. She did a double check and found that the black haired man in front of her with a Spanish type of accent was in fact Carlos Olivera. Alice pulled up a chair and raised it above her head in a threatening manner towards Carlos, "Where's Carlos and what have you done with him?"

"Hmm?" Carlos asked before placing the apple in his mouth to hold so he could use both hands to grab the cereal and milk.

"I said, where is Carlos and what have you done with him?" Alice moved towards Carlos but not before putting the chair down. Alice placed her hand on her brother's forehead to make sure the man wasn't ill.

Carlos batted away the hand and in the process the apple slipped out of his mouth and the cereal box fell to the ground but before either collided his sister had reached out and with lightning reflexes caught both. He blinked a few times in shock before looking at Alice, "Nice reflexes."

Alice shrugged before turning and trudging over to the fridge, she was shocked by her own reflexes, she didn't even remember seeing the box fall or better yet reaching out to catch it...but apparently she had. She shook her head and put it down as one of those random event's, "What are you doing up so early?"

Carlos glanced up from where he was pouring the box of cereal into a bowl, "Well I thought I better get an early start to the day, don't want to be late, you been using Umbrella's new product."

Alice rolled her eyes shutting the fridge before grabbing herself her own bowl, making her way over towards where Carlos was still pouring a heap of cereal into his bowl. "You seriously aren't still worried about the whole Mr. Boshck deal are you?" Alice asked with disbelief as she nudged Carlos out the way, "And yes I am mom asked so it's the least I can do."

Carlos mumbled something under his breath after he was pushed out the way but readily accepted it as he poured milk into the bowl with cereal. "Well I figured one of us may as well make a good impression. It smell's and what kind of name is Regenerate when it doesn't even help with de-aging." Carlos handed the milk carton over to Alice before putting a spoon full of cereal into his mouth.

"And you thought that you'd do it?" Alice asked the disbelief heightening at every word that left her brothers mouth. "Look it's supposedly a supplement but since people won't take supplements they made people believe it's an anti-aging product."

"What makes you think I can't?" Carlos asked dismissing his sister's defense of the Umbrella product.

"Let me see," Alice looked up at the ceiling while rubbing her chin with her index finger and thumb, trying her best to look deep in thought. She let a small chuckle escape as she grabbed the bowl moving towards the lounge room, "Carlos?"

"Yeah?" he replied following after Alice.

"You're dripping milk all over your shirt." Alice dropped down onto the couch and looked up at her brother who was now frantically wiping his shirt making the milk patch spread. Alice stared at him a few moments and when he continued brushing the shirt with frantic motions it struck her – no way. "Are you serious?" she asked this time the disbelief reaching a new record height for her conversations with Carlos.

"What?" he asked stopping his shirt brushing movement before picking up his bowl and rounding the couch to sit next to Alice. "It's a nice shirt." He stated innocently as he shoveled cereal into his mouth.

"Yeah a shirt you've wore once since you got it five years ago and even then we started World War III to get you wear it." Alice commented before shaking her head at her brother, "You've got no chance Carlos."

"What do you mean?" Carlos pretended his best to continue acting innocent in case his sister really did have the wrong idea.

"She's just not that into you," Alice chuckled under her breath at the thought of such a thing before reaching over and picking up the remote to switch the TV on.

Carlos watched as the large TV screen descended from the ceiling before switching on, "Claire isn't but that don't mean Jill is too."

Alice shook her head, "Trust me when I say..." Alice paused moving on the couch so she could face Carlos, "...That girl isn't going to go out with you in a million years."

"Hey I'm good looking and I'm a nice guy, although it's going to be awkward when I tell Chris I'm into Jill." Carlos commented his voice dimming as the sentence came to an end.

"Trust me that's not the problem," Alice pointed out before turning back to her original position as she watched the early morning news, "And what do you mean by awkward?" Alice asked before finishing of her breakfast cereal and putting the bowl down on the coffee table her feet joining the bowl once she had leant back.

"Well Chris has got a thing for Jill too and well he thinks she's into him but he's wrong," Carlos spoke proudly as he finished the rest of his cereal before repeating Alice's movements to the exact detail.

Alice raised an eyebrow at this – interesting not even the brother knew –. "Because she's into you?" she asked her eyes focused on the TV but the rest of her attention spread elsewhere.

"Yep," Carlos nodded finally happy that Alice was finally understanding what he was saying, "And when I get the girl it'll prove to you I'm right."

Alice shook her head as she heard the footsteps of their mother in the distance, "But when she rejects you..." Alice gave Carlos a quick glance to emphasize her point before returning it to the TV, "I get to tell you I told you so."

Carlos rolled his eyes before taking his bowl to the bench and trudging off up stairs to get ready for school, giving his mother a small good morning hug along the way.

Alice felt her bare feet slip from the table, looking up she had her reason hers and Carlos's mother making her way into the kitchen but not before having to knock down Alice's feet from their resting spot on the coffee table. Alice stood up immediately grabbing her bowl and making her way to the kitchen, "Mom can I ask you something?"

Cassandra nodded with a yawn as she switched on the kettle ready to make her coffee before getting ready for work.

"Well," Alice placed her bowl down on the bench next to Carlos's before rubbing the back of her neck while listening to the loud rumbling of the kettle as it boiled the water inside, "What do you think of Claire and Jill?"

Cassandra turned to face Alice her eyes still doused with sleep, "There lovely young girls..." She paused and gave her daughter an odd look, "Why?"

"Well Carlos has a crush on one of them," Alice replied to her mother's question.

Cassandra pulled out a mug from the cupboard before motioning if Alice wanted one but she was politely rejected as the young woman waited for a reply, "Better not be Claire." Cassandra stated as she went about putting the dry ingredients in her mug before pouring the water in.

Alice curiously looked at her mother as she walked around her towards the fridge, "What do you mean better not be Claire?"

Cassandra pulled open the fridge door and took in the vacant spot that should have held the milk. Shutting the fridge door she trudged over towards the kitchen table where the milk carton stood close by the cereal box still open from use before – kids now days – she smiled at the thought, "Because Carlos isn't the only one who's got a crush."

Alice choked on the oxygen she just inhaled and started coughing frantically as her mother poured the milk into the cup of boiling coffee water smile widening, "What do you mean by that?" she asked when she finally stopped her coughing fit.

"Well let's just say somebody in this house has a crush on Miss Redfield next door, I'm sure Carlos doesn't since he was rejected twice and if he hasn't gotten the message then I definitely need to re-think my parenting skills." Cassandra grabbed her coffee mug before making her way to the dining table.

"Don't blame your parenting skills for Carlos's intelligence..." she paused, "Or lack there off." Alice chuckled as her mother wacked her in the arm with her free hand as she sat down, "Joking, joking..." Alice smirked, "At least half joking anyway." She barely dodged yesterday's news paper that was on a path to colliding with her.

"Anyway back to what I meant," she said after casting her daughter a glare, "What I'm saying is Carlos doesn't have a crush on Miss Redfield, I definitely don't have a crush on Miss Redfield that leaves only one other occupant." Cassandra commented as she flicked through the sports pages before pulling them out and aside for Carlos.

"Did you get a dog or something while you were at work yesterday?" Alice asked sarcastically knowing exactly where this was going and she definitely did not need her mom thinking off her as that.

"It's perfectly okay sweet heart and if you like her go for it but you may want to watch that Jill."

Oh boy did Alice already know that, after last night's pizza at the Redfield residents she had been glared at every time she laughed at one of the redhead's jokes or even spoke to the woman. She shook her head before finishing her line of questioning that somehow had gotten lost between the kettle boiling and her mother sitting down to the news paper, "So you think Jill's..." Alice paused, "You know?"

"Gay?" her mother asked earning a groan from her daughter.

Alice slapped her fore head before dragging out, "Mom."

"As I said it's perfectly normal," Cassandra shrugged, "But yes."

"Poor bastard," Alice this time felt the news paper just barely touch her and she was glad for her new found reflexes, "Oops sorry." She gave her mother an innocent smile.

"Yeah sure you are," Cassandra rolled her eyes, "Carlos will get over it so don't worry about him."

"Yeah you're right," Alice nodded before taking a step away from the dining room table. She had to get dressed as Claire and Jill were to be arriving at seven thirty.

"Oh and by the way," Cassandra looked up from her news paper as her sentence halted her daughter's movement, "While we're on the subject of me going to work yesterday."

"Yeah mom?" she asked somewhat curious as to where this was going.

"What the hell happened to the down stairs bathroom door and the lounge room window?" Cassandra asked giving her daughter a curious look, "And where in the world did my kitchen sink go?"

Alice rubbed the back of her neck awkwardly, she wasn't a chicken...but this called for bailing. "Uh got to get ready mom," She answered before bounding up the stairs to her room.

Cassandra shook her head, she knew what happened...well at least to the sink anyhow, the other two incidents where still a mystery. She had pulled up late last night after working and had gotten out of her car to see the kitchen sink staring at her from the bushes; she was likely never to know how they managed to get the large heavy kitchen sink outside better yet...why they took it outside.

Mrs. Olivera finally made it to the front door but before she could even reach out to yank the front door open and let the two female occupants outside in she was pushed out the way by her son who looked neater than she thought she'd ever seen him in his life.

"Don't ask," Alice walked passed mumbling to her mother as she searched for her shirt she had planned on wearing.

Cassandra held up her hands in defense before walking away. She had figured out pretty quickly that when her daughter said something like that it was best to stay out of it as it all ways ended with the wackiest answers that left her with more questions than answers and a rather large migraine. "So what do you think?" Cassandra asked picking up her completed poster from the coffee table and opening it up to show her daughter as she heard the front door open and her son frantically talking.

"Mmm nice," Alice nodded without even looking at the poster as she continued looking around the house for her shirt, "You seen my white shirt?"

Cassandra rolled her eyes, "It's in your room right next to the one that says 'I don't give a damn'."

Alice thought about this for a moment before remembering that's exactly where she had left it, "Thanks mom." Alice said before making her way past the two new occupants in the house and up the stairs to her room but not before giving Claire and Jill a courteous nod as her brother continued prattling on to Jill.

Alice entered her room and fumbled around in the draw that supposedly held the white button up shirt. She let a small sigh of relief escape her lips as she finally pulled the white button up shirt out, it was in fact next to the shirt that said 'I don't give a damn' Alice slipped it over the singlet she was wearing and jumped slightly when she heard the loud tap on her doorframe. "You scared the shit out of me!"

"Alice!" the chastising tone of her mother's came from downstairs.

Alice stopped what she was doing and curiously looked at the redhead in the doorway to her room who was chuckling, "How the fuck did she hear that?"

"Alice Abernathy!" the tone returned, this time louder and more instructive.

Claire chuckled at the tone and guilty look on Alice's face; "Super hearing." She whispered to Alice.

"Mother's just hear everything sweetie!" the voice of Mrs. Olivera travelled once again upstairs to the occupants leaving both Alice and Claire bewildered.

"Okay that's just creepy," Alice spoke before returning to buttoning up her shirt. She glared at the missing button hole before leaving her room and making her way to her mother's so she could attack it with her mother's replacements and sewing kit.

Claire followed along behind Alice still chuckling, "So looking forward to today?"

"Honestly part of me is," Alice paused as she pulled out the sewing kit and got to work on sewing the replacement button to her shirt with little success, "And part of me isn't."

Claire nodded as she watched Alice's failed attempts at sewing the replacement button on, "You know what classes you're in or what homeroom you have yet?"

"Nope I'll find that out when I get to the school," Alice said with a loud aggravated sigh as she failed once again.

Claire shook her head and batted the taller woman's hands away before grabbing the needle, thread and button before going to work at sewing the button on.

"Do you know what you're doing?" Alice asked as the redhead continued with sewing the button on.

"I have one brother and a younger sister…" Claire paused finally threading the thread through the button, "…that answer your question?"

Alice nodded as she watched Claire thread the thread through the small hole in the shirt that had been left after the last button had fallen off, "What about Jill?"

Claire huffed at the thought, "My girlfriend couldn't sew a button if her life depended on it." Claire stood up once she had secured the button in place and had pulled the remaining thread of the button, "And she's the girly girl." Claire smiled up at the slightly taller woman, "There all done."

Alice smiled down at Claire, "Thanks." Alice gave her a small genuine smile as she continued staring at her.

"No problemo," Claire flashed another smile back before discarding the thread and needle on the cabinet next to her before she started finishing the buttoning up of Alice's shirt.

Alice swallowed hard. She need out of the room, where she could put distance between herself and the redhead. If she remained around Claire any longer she knew she was bound to do something stupid and completely insane but still her body remained rooted to the spot as the redhead continued doing up her shirt buttons. Where the fuck was Jill when you really really needed the woman?

"Your good to go," Claire smiled brushing some specks of dust and whatnot from Alice's shoulder before looking up at the sandy blonde.

Alice leant down closing the distance between herself and the redhead the moment Claire started to look up at her. Alice immediately expected Claire to push her away and probably ream at her, not for kissing her but for the fact that it was painstakingly obvious that she and Jill were already an item but when no push came Alice deepened the kiss for a split second until she felt the hesitation from the other woman. A split second later and it came; Claire shoved her away and was out the door without so much as a glance back in her direction.

Well on a side note –she had been right about doing something stupid and completely insane –however at the same time she noticed Claire had in fact responded – albeit she had pushed her away – but still she kissed her back.

Alice face palmed, now how was she supposed to apologize to Claire without Jill finding out what she had done…it was amazing how many time's she had found herself screwed since meeting Claire but yes you guessed it Alice was 'SCREWED' once again.

With a brush down of her clothes and run of her hand through her hair, Alice composed herself and made her way downstairs to where Claire and Jill were sitting on the couch, Claire a little more closer to Jill than normal. This did nothing to help the frustration she was feeling at herself, instead of having the redhead sit closer to her she had pushed her closer to Jill and right at that moment she dreamed that she was shaking Jill by the collar of her shirt and throwing the woman out off a skyscraper building.

"So this time what do you think?" Cassandra opened the poster once again, "And actually look at it this time because you know it helps with the answer."

Alice shook her head and turned to face her mother and the poster she was holding open. Alice looked at the poster that had what appeared to be a syringe tube in the center with the title in bold block letters saying 'REGENERATE' and just beneath the syringe tube that took up the majority of the A2 poster had the logo of Umbrella's 'Our Business Is Life Itself' with two little Umbrella's on either side of the logo, the background was plainly a sky blue but with the rest of the colors that made up the poster it was attractive to the eye and very contrast. "Actually that's good very…" Alice paused trying to come up with the best way to put it, "…eye catching."

Cassandra beamed at her daughter's explanation, "You don't think the syringe tube is too much?"

Alice in the corner of her eye caught the small movement of Claire grabbing Jill's hand and Alice had to hold back as a sudden onslaught off nauseous hit her. "Why, do you think it's too much?"

"I know I think its best that the consumers see the product for exactly what it is, but then there's the fact that some people may think twice about buying it especially if people hate needles."

Alice shook her head at her mother, "its fine honestly, now where's Carlos?" she asked her mother as she thumbed towards the kitchen, "What's he doing in there?"

"Eating what do you think?" she smiled, "You know your brother, personal garbage disposal anyway I must be off to work won't be home till late again." She smiled giving her daughter a hug, "Bye." She waved as she left the house.

Alice gave a small wave in her mother's direction as the door shut behind her mother, Carlos only just stepping out of the kitchen.

Carlos nodded towards his sister's shirt, "I thought the button was missing."

Alice knew then and there that fate was now just screwing with her and that the man upstairs had to be in a fit of hysterical laughter, but with a groan Alice ignored the comment. "You guy's ready?"

"Yeah sure," Jill nodded standing up but not before giving Claire's hand a small squeeze as the younger woman released hers.

The movement was not lost on Alice, however the same thing could not have been said for the oblivious Carlos who was already back to flirting with Jill as they left the house and made their way over to Jill's car leaving Alice with Claire to converse as she locked up the house. Alice noticed that Claire kept a fair distance away from her enough to not be able to initiate conversation without the others hearing but enough to look as if she weren't avoiding Alice but Alice knew otherwise.

The car trip had been plainly simple with Carlos mumbling incessantly to her as they passed different stores that he had to have seen a few times before hand. Alice was hardly paying attention to Carlos as she noticed Claire finding ways to make sure she could touch Jill and curiously Alice wondered if Jill had picked up on the increased level of contact that Claire was making.

The car pulled to a halt out front of the school and Claire made note to jump out first making her way over towards Chris and Kmart who were just exiting out of Chris's car, Carlos jumping out behind Claire to join her in her movement towards Chris and Kmart. Alice made move to get out but was halted by Jill's next sentence.

"Alice?"

Alice turned to look at Jill who was still sitting in the front seat staring at Claire who was now in deep conversation with Kmart. "Yeah?" she asked cautiously.

"You'd say were friends right? Albeit slightly awkward ones," Jill questioned keeping her eyes focused on Claire.

Alice shrugged but answered not really knowing where this was going, "Yeah I guess."

"And by now you've probably guessed about me and Claire," Jill commented.

Alice really did not want to listen to Jill prattle on about her relationship with Claire so she made to get to the point, "What's your point Jill."

"Would say that someone where to be cheating on you if they incessantly continue to touch you?" Jill asked, "I mean sure me and Claire hold hands, hug each other and you know the rest and don't get me wrong I'm not complaining but wouldn't you agree that something was fishy if out of the blue there was a lot more contact than usual."

Alice instinctually swallowed hard and she immediately regretted doing it and she hoped that the older woman in the front seat had not heard, "Maybe she thinks you're losing interest." What the fuck was she doing? Trying to get Jill and Claire on better terms with each other? She should be trying to find a way to break them up…she was stupid, so fucking stupid.

Jill sat up straighter in her chair, "I'm not losing interest it's just there's hardly any time to talk to her about her in between spending time with you guys, Carlos's constantly annoying flirting and Claire talking about you." Jill shook her head, "Sometimes I think you both got a thing for each other." Jill chuckled at that thought as she looked into the rear-view mirror at Alice her tone going deadly serious, "You don't do you?"

Alice could almost hear the worry in the other woman's voice and Alice mentally cursed herself for her brains next words, "She's a good friend that's all." She would have faced palmed and beat the shit out of herself mentally and physically had Jill not been in the car with her.

"Good," Jill seemed to relax, "So I guess I'll just have to prove I'm still interested so I don't lose her." Jill stated more to herself than to Alice. Jill looked into the rear-view mirror once again so she could see Alice, "I don't suppose you have any ideas how?"

Alice almost scoffed at the thought of her giving Jill ideas on how to keep the girl that they were both after – albeit the fact Jill didn't know that but still – "Nope sorry." Alice shook her head exiting the car before anymore questions could be asked.

Jill jumped out after Alice and before the woman could get any further out of earshot Jill called out once again, "Alice?"

Alice stopped and sighed heavily before turning to face Jill, "Yeah?"

Jill shifted on her feet she was not one for 'thank you' but she owed the younger woman, "Thank you. I know we don't get along but…thanks it means a lot." Jill stopped her shifting and walked off in the direction of Claire.

Alice face palmed for the second time in the day. Damn guilt always had to rear its ugly head when it wasn't wanted. Damn Jill for sounding so thankful. Damn Claire for being so god damn beautiful, kind, caring, considerate, confident…and this was so not helping. Alice sighed and instead of following after Jill towards Claire she made movement straight towards the high schools double doors.

**Okay I know I promised Bloom2000 some action and I had planned on it but this chapter became long, so it'll be in the next Chapter. Anyway hope you guy's enjoyed this Chapter and I hope it answered a few of your peeps questions. Also I hope you picked up on small hints throughout the beginning of the Chapter.**


	6. Dangerous Game

**Okay I know It's been a while and I mean it's been a while but I'm getting ready for my holiday and also have a sequel to one of my stories coming up plus a new story, I've also had trouble writing this chapter but anyway as an apology I have three new chapters up an awaiting you to read them. Also once again thanks for the reviews everyone, you people really do make my day . Hopefully you enjoy and I changed Casper's demeanor in this. **

_You stand before me  
>Now we stare eye to eye<br>Before another second clicks away, one of us will die  
>You reach for your metal as I reach for mine<br>The sound of bullets flying through the air is followed by a cry_

_**Three Doors Down– Dangerous Game**_

**XXX**

Alice took her first steps for the day through the high schools double doors and could already tell that the day was only going to get worse and more complicated. Alice sighed and moved down the corridor ignoring her brother's hollers as he sprinted towards her before eventually falling in step beside her.

"So let's just make an arrangement right now…" Carlos said doing a little spin as he watched two cheerleaders in their cheer outfits walk past. He let out a quiet whistle before finishing his previous sentence, "If we see Mr. Boshck I do the talking."

Alice rolled her eyes, that old man was the last thing she was worried about. "No promises," Alice said deciding to humor Carlos.

"You okay?" Carlos asked noticing his sister's lack of interest but then again they were in a school.

Alice reached the office door and pulled it open allowing Carlos to make his way into the office first. Deciding to ignore his question, she stepped up to the front desk where the school receptionist Betty had her feet perched up on the desk while leaning back in the office chair, phone being held to her ear by her shoulder all the while she cleaned her finger nails.

"No go to Cosmo's they give the best manicures and pedicures ever and at the moment it's twenty-five percent off and you get a free hair perm with it." Betty spoke as she lifted her hand into the air to check her fingernails, "Oh don't even get me star-" Betty caught sight of the occupant standing at the front desk and held up a finger towards the teenager motioning for Alice to give her a second. "Look I've got to go…" Betty sat up readying herself to put the phone down but the occupant on the other end had said something to stall her actions, "Hey if a man even thinks about doing something like that to me he better give me a ring, dinner and a house first." Betty rolled her eyes and sat back a little more in her chair, "It's a rhetorical comment…" she paused listening to the voice on the other end. "Look I really have to go…yeah talk to you later bye." Betty put the phone down before looking at the messy desk in front of her, "Weirdo." Betty whispered under her breath before looking up at the two occupants, "Let me guess, here for your homeroom and classes?" Betty asked previous conversation dismissed and forgotten.

"Yeah pretty much," Alice nodded towards Betty a small smile on her face.

"Hey Claire," Betty waved at the redhead who just entered the office, "Where's Jill? I got to talk to that girl about the excellent deal at Cosmo's."

Claire groaned and scrunched up her face at the thought of Cosmo's, "She's being dragged around by Kmart and Angie." Claire's demeanor changed as she smiled remembering the pleading look on Jill's face as the two younger girls dragged her away. "But on a good note," Claire spoke standing next to Alice and leaning against the tall front desk, "Jill told me Cosmo's deal wasn't as good as Arklay Heights Spar and Beauty Salon." Claire leant over the desk, grabbing the A4 paper that had just finished being printed, "Jill says there deal is fifty-percent off manicures and pedicures together and you get a free rub down and thirty free minutes of the spa." Claire finished without taking her first breath as she recited the exact words to the exact detail as Jill had done to her before handing the A4 paper over to Carlos and the second one over to Alice.

"Shit," Betty swore, "What would I do without Jill?" she smiled shaking her head before picking the phone back up and dialing a number, "Thanks Claire for the info, oh and I did you two a little favor." Alice pointed between Alice and Claire while Carlos made faces at his classes, "I stuck you both in the same classes it was difficult but it was done." Betty than pointed towards Carlos as the ringing continued in her ear, "I stuck him with Chris and Nicholai so he should be fine."

"Thanks," Claire nodded towards Betty as she pushed open the office door nearly taking out her brother in the process.

Alice followed after Claire somewhat dragging her still making faces brother with her. "Thanks Betty," Alice called over her shoulder earning a wave as acknowledgement as she dragged Carlos out of the office.

Carlos held up his form to Chris who nodded back with some excitement, "Looks like we got the same classes."

"Sweet, you'll get to meet Nicholai then," Chris pointed out taking the paper from Carlos.

"Nicholai? Sounds Russian," Carlos commented.

"That's cause it is, he isn't a big dude but the accent makes him sound scary that plus whenever Russia is mentioned they usually back away so you're safe with him." Chris shrugged, giving his sister a hug that was returned before motioning for Carlos to follow him as he walked off down the hall Carlos's paper still in hand as Carlos continued making some faces at the paper.

Alice watched Carlos walk off giving him a small wave as he disappeared around the corner leaving her alone with Claire. "So," Alice said trying to figure out how she should finish her sentence.

"We should get to class before the principal reams at me for making you late," Claire finished for Alice instead. Claire nodded in the direction Chris and Carlos had just left in before taking off with Alice falling in step beside her.

"So the homeroom teachers name is Mr. Holmes?" Alice questioned deciding not to continue her previous train of thought instead thinking about the name and the fact it reminded her of Sherlock Holmes.

"Yeah and if I were don't mention anything Sherlock," Claire glanced over to Alice, giving her a knowing look.

"What?" Alice asked, containing her grin.

"Oh I so know you were going to mention something to do with Sherlock so don't try and hide it," Claire squinted at Alice before turning down another corridor. "The schools pretty easy to get to know," Claire grabbed Alice's homeroom and classes paper from her hands before flipping over the paper and handing it back, "The map is on the back albeit a lot smaller than the school actually is."

"Err, one of my classes say music…is that-"

"Just sing one song and the teacher will leave you alone, as long as you sing it bad, you sing it good and you'll never hear the end of it." Claire chuckled, "Just ask Casper, poor bastard."

"Right so when do I get to meet these people you speak so highly off?" Alice sarcastically asked as Claire turned down yet another corridor, Alice following in tow.

"Well you'll learn straight of the bat who you want to hang with and who you don't, I can't tell you who to and not to." Claire stopped out front of a classroom door, halting Alice's steps in the process. "Well here is our lovely home room." Claire thumbed towards the door, "Now remember no Sherlock seriously the guy will give detention at the mention of Watson so seriously don't, other than that he's a pretty cool guy."

Alice grinned mischievously before earning a playful glare from Claire, "Okay, okay you win." Alice said holding up her hands in defense grin still in place, "No Sherlock or Watson."

Claire squinted at Alice, "Why do I have a feeling I'm going to regret knowing you?"

Alice thought the innocent enough question through before dropping the grin and looking seriously at Claire, "You don't already?"

Claire got the underlying message within the question and quickly changed the subject, "We better get inside, I can't wait to see Mr. Holmes's face."

"Why?"

"In the two years I've been here; well let's just say we should call 911 now before he has the heart attack from me being early."

Alice laughed at this as she entered the classroom following closely behind Claire.

"Miss Redfield?" Mr. Holmes turned to face the two students entering his class a shocked look on his features, "Are you feeling okay?" Mr. Holmes asked, "I got to sit down." He added sarcastically sitting while looking as if he were dizzy.

"Yeah, yeah whatever I'm just making sure Alice here get's here early so I don't get reamed for making her late." Claire waved a hand emphasizing her point as she sat on top of the nearest desk to the teacher.

"Ah yes, Miss Abernathy, I'm Mr. Holmes and I'll be your science and homeroom teacher." He reached out giving a small but firm shake of Alice's hand, "Now that you're early you can leave class and come back later Miss Redfield."

Claire waved the comment off hoping down of the desk and moving to the back of the room before taking her normal seat at the back of the class, "Pfft that will take too much energy and I only have a limited supply for school." Claire remarked.

Mr. Holmes shook his head before turning to Alice, "There's an empty seat next to Claire."

Alice nodded moving over towards the desk as the classroom door burst open and a brown haired boy jumped inside the classroom.

"Mr. Wesker what are you doing?" Mr. Holmes took in the young man's heaving appearance before questioning further, "Are you okay?"

Casper turned nodding to Mr. Holmes before thumbing out the home room to the corridor outside, "I am but I'm not sure the man with his pants on fire running up and down the corridor is."

Mr. Holmes jumped to his feet immediately and was out the door faster than Claire had thought she'd ever seen that man move. She gave a small shrug deciding to ignore it as she turned to Casper who was entering the classroom while the football player with his pants on fire continued running up and down the hall, "Hey Casper." She waved to him, receiving a small wave back.

"Claire," he waved back taking a seat in front of the redhead.

"Casper this is Alice, Alice this is Casper." Claire pointed between the two as she spoke.

"Nice to meet you," Casper shook Alice's hand before turning to Claire, "And she's hanging around with you?"

Claire scoffed at that before replying, "I don't suppose you accidently lit the guy on fire?" Claire asked knowing full well that the man had lit football player on fire purposely.

Casper playfully looked shocked and hurt, "Why Claire how could you think such a thing?" He smiled before looking between Alice and Claire, "You on the other hand Claire are a bad influence."

Claire shrugged and turned to Alice, "Perhaps, what do you think?" Claire asked turning to look at Alice for an answer.

Alice held up her hands, "I'm not getting invol-" Alice halted her sentence before looking at the brown haired man shocked, "You set a kid on fire?"

Casper shrugged, "He'll learn not to pick on Spencer."

"Spencer?" Alice looked to Claire as a nerdy looking kid stepped into the room, checkered shirt tucked into baggy pants, glasses, messy hair and piles off books. He was literally the stereotypical geek that Alice never thought existed.

"Spencer," Claire waved as the teen shyly waved back before taking his seat at the front of the class.

"That's Spencer?" Alice leant over to Claire to whisper to her but immediately regretted her actions at the strawberry smell of Claire's hair; she pulled back quickly and quietly while awaiting Claire's answer as the boy in front of them grinned at her mischievously.

Claire oblivious to it answered Alice, "Yep and Casper here." Claire turned back to Casper whose grin quickly disappeared, "He's our regular super hero he protects the weak."

"Can't you like get arrested for that?" Alice asked, "For lighting kids on fire."

"His uncle is Albert Wesker." Claire stated with a sideways glance at Alice.

"You mean Albert Wesker as in the Albert Wesker?" She asked looking between the two.

"Yep the Albert Wesker, the guy whose chairman of Umbrella," Casper clapped his hands together, "Talk about friends in high places huh?"

"No shit," Alice shook her head in disbelief, "My mom works in the UAA."

"Sweet, nice pay I'll tell you that much." Casper nodded as the siren rang.

Alice watched as Casper turned around facing the front of the classroom, while Claire leant back in her seat shutting her eyes as students started piling inside the room. "I wonder if they extinguished the kid." Alice barely finished her sentence as a football player stepped inside of the room jeans half burnt.

"I think you got your answer," Claire commented holding back small chuckles.

"And that's why they tell students never to carry alcohol in their bags," Casper grinned, "It's highly flammable you know." He sarcastically stated.

Claire groaned, letting her head fall back as a group of cheerleaders stepped up to her desk.

"Claire, seems like you got a new friend."

"Michelle seems like your still…" Claire looked the cheerleader up and down before finishing, "You."

Alice immediately shoved down the protective instinct for Claire when the dislike between the cheerleader and her friend were made obvious. However she couldn't stop picturing herself throwing the cheerleader out the window that herself and Claire were sitting beside.

"Who's your new friend?" Michelle asked genuine curiosity as she held out her hand to Alice, "Head cheerleader and most popular girl in the school Michelle Harper." She introduced making sure to pronounce every syllable perfectly.

"Hey Amanda congratulations, you and Tommy make a great couple," Claire spoke up before Alice could take the offered hand.

Alice watched as the head cheerleader gradually turned to face another cheerleader, withdrawing her hand back.

"Tommy?" Michelle questioned the shocked and now slightly worried cheerleader.

"Oh you didn't know?" Claire asked sarcastically, "My bad I'm sorry I never meant to say anything about yours and Tommy's date at Raccoon City Festival over the holidays." Claire immediately slapped a hand over her mouth and innocently shrugged, "Woops my bad." The reaction was just what she had hoped for as the group of cheerleaders walked away.

"Whoa ho, you go girl." Casper chuckled as he turned somewhat in his seat to hive-five Claire, "Did you really see them at the festival?"

Claire nodded, "Yeah but I also saw him at the hangout under Ravens Gate Bridge with Brandy, but I'll tell Michelle about that one when she's all happy."

Alice had to chuckle under her breath at that one, she had started disliking the cheerleader the moment the woman had opened her mouth – or maybe it had been when she had made it plainly obvious that she hated Claire – either way she disliked the cheerleader.

The first two classes had flown by pretty easily; she breezed through History and Geography both being easy subjects for her. Alice stepped out of the classroom following Claire while being followed by Casper.

"I don't know how the hell you knew all that crap, I got lost within the states of America," Claire commented exhaustedly.

"It's really simple," Alice smiled at Claire's exhausted look as the group of three halted in the corridor.

"Pfft if it was simple I wouldn't be getting F's," Claire shook her head.

"I'm sure Alice could tutor you," Casper spoke up with a smirk directed in Alice's direction.

Right now by the embarrassed look on Claire's face and her previous action's in the morning, Alice just wished a giant chasm would open up beneath her and swallow up either herself or the young man beside either way to disappear or have the guy next to her disappear would currently make her happy.

"Anyway," Claire continued after a moments embarrassment, "I'm gonna go find Jill and meet you in the cafeteria, Casper could you?"

Casper nodded shortly and sharply, "Yeah, yeah go she'll be safe with me."

"Pfft," Alice turned to Casper, "Says the guy who lights pants on fire."

Claire chuckled at the thought of flaming pants, "Just don't tease anyone and your cool." Claire smiled at Alice before nodding and moving off, "Meet you in the cafeteria."

Alice watched as Casper gave a quick over exaggerated wave to Claire as she ran off. The moment the redhead was out of sight, the young man's features turned to her and for once she was slightly scared as to what could come of being alone with the young man.

"So you and Claire eh?" Casper grinned as he moved down the corridor towards the cafeteria Alice falling in step beside him.

"What?" Alice managed to get out sounding as casual as she could.

"Right," Casper drew out as he held open the cafeteria door.

"No I meant what?" Alice shook her head as they both stepped up towards the line, "What did you mean?" maybe she had just misunderstood the question.

"Well let's just say," Casper said casually as he handed Alice a tray, "It's obvious to anyone willing to pay attention."

Alice stared at the back of the young man's head for a few moments before placing items on her tray. It couldn't be that obvious as Jill had yet to question her other than her paranoid ramblings earlier in the morning. "You mean she's a good friend right."

Casper left the food line Alice trailing along behind as he sat at a table sitting besides the large cafeteria window, "Yeah of course, what did you think I meant?" He asked smirking at her from his seat as Alice took her own.

Alice stared for a few more seconds at Casper, now she was terrified, his answer was almost cryptic. Alice shook her head and decided to let the subject go as she looked down at the glop of food on her plate. "Is it just me or does this resemble cat food," Alice scooped up a glop of the food holding her spoon at an angle to watch it slide back down to the tray.

"I wouldn't be surprised if that's what they served here," Casper commented with a shrug.

Alice nodded; cafeteria food nearly always resembled cat food. Alice drew her attention away from her food towards the door being loudly pushed open as a bunch of football players piled into the cafeteria loudly talking and laughing.

"That's Tommy Vahanna and his boyfriends; just ignore them, they have to sleep with every female in this place and trust me Tommy done nearly that apart from Claire, Valentine and a few others." Casper shrugged as he continued eating with disdain and disinterest in the food.

Alice hesitantly turned away from the group of football players as they moved to sit at the table behind her. "So Wesker huh, does that mean you're like a billionaire?" Alice asked doing her best to ignore the conversation coming from the football players behind her about Claire.

Casper shrugged," My uncle's the billionaire, me I just live with him."

"So you going to join Umbrella once you can apply to work for them?" Alice asked somewhat curious as her temper and impatience at the football player's conversation that had now diverted to an impropriate discussion about Claire.

"No fucking way am I joining Umbrella, once I can I'm out of my uncle's home."

"Why?" Alice asked, giving her shoulders a roll to hopefully release the tension.

"Umbrella isn't what they seem," Casper commented.

Alice sighed with resignation the moment Casper finished talking. He obviously wasn't going to give any more information towards the topic they were discussing and that left Alice's brain to wondering in the direction of the conversation happening behind her.

"I'm sure she'd enjoy it, with her attitude I'm sure she likes it rough."

Casper's head shot up towards Alice's the moment the sentence left Tommy Vahanna's mouth and Alice stood up, "Just leave it, ignore it Claire does."

Alice turned taking a step out from underneath the table before stepping in front of the football players table. Claire may ignore it – but she wasn't Claire. Alice placed both her hands on the table and leant down slightly to look at the quarter back forcefully. "You wanna stop your mind wandering before I give you a hand doing it."

"What's your problem?"

"My problem is with you and your boyfriends," Alice spoke up using Casper's words from before.

"Yeah," Tommy stood up trying to look intimidating.

Alice stood up straight matching the jock's posture; she wasn't intimidated by the quarter back and his football goons.

Tommy shook his head and motioned for his buddies to follow him to a table in the far corner of the cafeteria a few tables behind where Casper was sitting.

Alice had to contain the chuckle of amusement as she realized the man was too scared to actually throw the first punch – she was cool with that – if he wasn't going to throw the first one she'd do it herself. Alice tapped the quarter back on his left shoulder, the moment he turned to face her, her fist had collided with his nose sending him stumbling back as the entire cafeteria turned to watch the commotion. Alice ducked a punch from one of the football players before jabbing him in the chest, ducking once more from another football player's punch as she kneed the first football player in the stomach before spinning and catching the falling food tray of the quarter back's.

Alice couldn't believe her reflexes as she slammed the tray into the back of the second football player's head as Tommy continued to care for his bloody nose. She couldn't even remember why she started the fight all she knew is that right now, the adrenaline pumping through her veins was like a drug a strong drug that she was currently addicted to. The tray to the back of head did the trick knocking the second football player out, as she turned to a third kicking up a mini cafeteria table and sending the tray sailing towards the football player as a distraction.

Alice couldn't believe it the football player was actually stupid enough to catch the tray and stare at it – well the distraction worked – Alice slammed her fist into the tray denting the metal and causing just a little extra pain to the football player as she grabbed his collar sending him flying and sliding along Casper's table towards the cafeteria window.

Casper lifted his tray of food off of the table as the football player slid along the table. "Hey watch it Alice I'm trying to eat here," Casper grumbled towards Alice as he placed his tray back on the table and continued eating once the football player was out the window.

Alice heard the sound of quiet footsteps behind her, with a quick backwards kick the first football player was unconscious. She ducked immediately as Tommy's fist swung over her head barely scraping the top of her head. She spun kicked Tommy grabbing the man by his collar before he could collide with the floor. Alice slammed him up against the wall at the exact moment the cafeteria doors opened.

"What the fuck?"

Alice's attention immediately snapped towards the redhead and Jill who were now standing at the cafeteria door shock on their face at the upturned table and two football players' unconscious bodies lying on the ground. Alice smiled innocently once the redhead's eyes fell on her as she continued to hold Tommy up a few centimeter's above the ground and against the wall.

"Oh this just gets better," Casper looked between Alice and Claire amusingly.

Alice quickly disposed of the quarter back in her hands by throwing him towards Casper's table and out the window. She caught the glimpse of Casper once again lifting his tray to allow the football player's body to slide out the already smashed window. Alice quickly turned her attention back towards Claire, "It's not what it looks like."

"Oh I can't wait to hear your excuse," Casper chuckled as he returned to eating, brushing away small shards of glass here and there.

Alice glared at Casper for a split second before turning back to Claire and a curious looking Jill. As much as she hated it, Casper was right she couldn't wait to hear her own excuse.

**Lol I enjoyed writing that last part, I hope you guys like Casper I tried to make him funny but also an adorable type of guy as he plays a large part in the story. Anyway next chapter is up ASAP, hope you guys enjoyed.**


	7. So I Need You

**Here's the second of the three chapters…hopefully you enjoy.**

_If you could step into my head,  
><em>_Tell me  
>Would you still know me<br>If you woke up in my bed,  
>Tell me then would you hold me<br>Or would you simply let it lie,  
>Leaving me to wonder why<br>I can't get you out of this head  
>I call mine<br>And I will say  
>Oh no I can't let you go<em>

_**Three Doors Down – So I Need You**_

**XXX**

Claire sat in the school office, Jill to her right and Casper to her left. The black haired woman Claire had only spoken to on occasion sitting on the other side of Casper.

"So back in here again Claire, what did you do?"

Claire leant around to look at the black haired girl – that was pretty much how she knew her – they spent more time in the office for detention than anybody else. "Believe it or not I never actually did anything this time but apparently I'm still in trouble." Claire managed to get out just as the school office door opened and in walked the four football players; one with a ice bag on his head, the other with medically plastered tape on his nose, one with cuts all over him and another groaning as he walked, all four entering the principal's office immediately.

"Holy shit who the hell beat those guys up?" the black haired woman asked turning to look at Claire for an explanation.

"As I said, wasn't me?" Claire held her hands up defensively as Betty sat up straighter once she had caught sight of the football players who were now out of view.

"Damn girl you kicked their skinny little asses," Betty clapped her tone sounding more like a cheer.

"For the last time I didn't do it," Claire raised her tone only slightly; giving a short but pointed glare to the young man beside her as he chuckled before innocently smiling and holding up his hands in defense.

"Then who the hel-" Betty's sentence was immediately cut of the moment Alice entered the school office, "You're kidding me right?" she questioned looking over to where Jill and Claire were seated shaking their heads, "Maybe Mr. Boshck is right and you are a bad example."

"Oh man it was amazing," Casper said enthusiastically as he jumped up, "She was like; 'oh hell no you won't be talking about Claire like that' than she was all; 'don't you walk away from me'." Casper tried his best to imitate Alice as he over exaggerated the conversation that led to the fight. "Then she was all tap Tommy on the shoulder and knock him on his ass, then she ducks punches then ducks again and knee's the same dude before using a food tray to knock a guy out." Casper continued enthusiastically as all the girls continued to look at him as if he had lost his mind, "Than she ninjaly kicks up a cafeteria table sending another food tray sailing through the air and Steven catches it before being punched and sent through the cafeteria window." Casper continued, "Than she's like 'hell no you ain't sneaking up on me' to James so she backwards kicks him the most awesomest thing I've ever seen in my life by the way and then she's all up in arms with Tommy and then Claire comes in with Valentine and so she disposes of Tommy via the broken window." Casper clapped, "then BAM! It's all over."

Betty continued staring for a few seconds before a big smile broke onto her face, "That sounds awesome why I am I never there when these things happen?"

"Aren't you supposed to be like quiet and shy?" Jill asked the young man, confused.

Casper turned to face her before shrugging, "Claire inspires me."

"Why are you even here?" Jill questioned, deciding she liked the man better when she had never spoken to him.

"Cause apparently I'm in trouble as well for just sitting there trying to eat." Casper shrugged sitting down in his original seat.

"Hold on so let me get this straight," the black haired woman spoke up once again, "It all started because of something he said about Claire?"

"What did he say?" Betty asked the moment Casper started nodding.

"What do you think Tommy talks about?"

"Oh," Betty nodded understanding as the principal's office door opened and the football players left.

"Miss Redfield, Miss Abernathy, Miss Valentine and Mr. Wesker my office immediately!" the booming voice came from the principal's office, nearly shaking walls.

"Aye, aye capitano!" Claire mocked saluted as she called back.

"Do you have to piss him off before I go in there?" the black haired lady questioned as she looked worriedly towards the office door.

"It's the only entertainment I get from school…so yeah," Claire shrugged as she entered the office, Jill, Alice and Casper in tow.

"Shut the door," Mr. Boshck spoke lowly watching as Casper shut the door behind him before taking a seat. "Miss Redfield care to explain to me what happened?"

"Casper had the best way of putting it," Claire smirked as she turned to face Casper, "Care to explain?"

"I asked you Miss Redfield." Mr. Boshck growled out.

"Look I arrived after everything was done so I got no idea what happened," Claire shrugged.

"You expect me to believe that?"

"Nup," Claire responded with a shrug.

"That's NO! With a sir at the end."

"Right," Claire drew out with a roll of her eyes before continuing, "Look I don't know what the Twiddle Dee's and Tweedle Dumb's told you but there lying."

Mr. Boshck grinded his teeth for a split second, "Lying, you expect me to believe that honorable students such as them are lying?"

Claire scoffed at that, "Honorable?" she questioned making sure she had heard right, "What rock have you been living under?"

"That is enough Miss Redfield!" he yelled before taking a deep breath, "your brother will be notified."

Claire scoffed chuckling slightly before turning her tone to one of serious sarcasm, "Oh no not my brother," she pleaded sarcastically, "Oh whatever can I do to fix this." She rolled her eyes, laughter just being contained as Mr. Boshck continued strangling the edges of his office desk, knuckles looking as if they needed blood flow and quickly.

"Miss Abernathy," Mr. Boshck diverted his attention away from Claire and focused it on Alice. "You told me you wouldn't cause any trouble for me, you were lying."

"It wasn't Claire's fault, I started the fight…"

"…And finished it." Casper finished for Alice.

"You expect me to believe that Miss Redfield really had nothing to do with it?" He questioned glaring at Alice, "You're covering for her."

"Yeah we've got a conspiracy going against you, I'm the coordinator, Alice and Claire are the conspirators and Casper is the acquaintance with people in high places." Jill rolled her eyes, she was getting sick off Claire being blamed for everything and she was currently curious as too why Alice had defended her girlfriend in the first place.

"Hey don't involve me I was just trying to enjoy my food," Casper held up his hands in defense.

"Mr. Wesker I spoke to your uncle this morning after you set John on fire, apparently one more incident and you're being shipped off to military school." Mr. Boshck diverted his attention to the young man who had other than a few seconds ago remained silent for the most part.

"He basically means 'I will ship Casper off to the Umbrella academy where he can learn to fire a gun and kick ass and earn more pay than anyone at your stingy school could'" Casper dropped the imitating, "Trust me he's my uncle I know what he meant."

"Either way," Mr. Boshck ignored the previous comment, "You will be out of my school."

Claire chuckled, "That doesn't sound like a terrible alternative."

"You don't know Umbrella," Casper scoffed.

"What's to know good pay, free lunch, good hours and an awesome facility…" Claire sat up straighter so she could see Casper better, "Plus if I heard you right, you get a gun."

"Yeah a 9mm, I prefer Desert Eagle's." Casper shrugged.

"Desert Eagle's have higher fire power but let's admit it 9mm have a bigger ammo capacity and faster rate of fire." Alice shrugged deciding to join in.

"Why don't you just use an ALPHA large ammo capacity, high rate of fire and its fire power is pretty damn good too?" Jill joined in earning a nod from Alice.

"Nope 9mm does have a higher fire power then both Defense and Combat." Casper stated.

"Then me 9mm wins the argument," Claire stood up bowing, "Thank you, thank you no need."

"You're all suspended," Mr. Boshck stated in disbelief.

"So does that mean we get to leave?" Claire asked.

"Suspension for two weeks," Mr. Boshck spoke using it only as a threat, he'd dull down the punishment to a few days once they started paying attention – however before he could even finish the other's were already out of their seats and headed towards the door.

Claire shrugged before standing up and moving towards the door as the other's followed, "Plus Umbrella helmets are really cool it'd be awesome to be Umbrella nobody would screw with you."

"Part' from S.T.A.R.S," Casper shrugged shutting the principal's office door behind him, leaving a gaping Mr. Boshck alone in his office.

"Please tell me you didn't piss him off?"

Claire turned to the black haired woman and smiled widely, "All yours Rain."

"Oh great," Rain stood straightening her shirt, "Wish me luck."

"Good luck," Casper stuck his thumbs up towards Rain who rolled her eyes before stepping into the principal's office.

"So what happened?" Betty questioned with interest.

"Actually," Claire thought for a moment, "I don't know, one moment we were talking about what we did the next were discussing Umbrella and guns and then we were suspended for two weeks." Claire shrugged.

"Two weeks?" Betty question, "Wow girl that's got to be the longest school suspension you've had."

"Nope I got the four month suspension remember," Claire pointed out.

"Four months?" Alice asked with disbelief.

"Yeah I soughta hotwired Mr. Boshck's car last year when we took a school trip to Las Vegas, I drove it to a tow zone where they ended up towing it to a scrap yard where they ended up crushing it," Claire shrugged as she made her way to the door.

"Why would you do that?" Casper questioned.

"I thought it was Michelle's car cause both hers and Mr. Boshck's look alike." Claire shrugged explaining as she gave a wave to a chuckling Betty before leaving the office.

"Trust me it's not the worse she's done but it was the worst punishment." Jill added as they made their way down the hall, "So two week's without school anyone have any plans?"

"Uh I'll be stuck with Umbrella for the next two weeks," Casper grumbled.

"I'll be chided for at least two days." Claire shrugged, "Then after that I don't know, Alice?"

Alice looked up at Claire and the others, "What?"

"You okay?" Casper questioned the sandy blonde.

"Huh? Yeah perfect I'm going to head home, I'll err take the bus." Alice mumbled as she made her way down the school steps. She needed time to think over everything that had happened and how her day had gone from crazy to shit stirred crazy.

"Uh Alice we can give you a lift," Claire pointed out, "We live next door remember?"

Alice refused to turn back as she kept walking deciding it was best to just call back over her shoulder, "Nah I'll take the bus."

Casper shrugged, "See you ladies later."

"Yeah bye," Claire nodded in Casper's direction feeling the small roll of Jill's eyes. Her thoughts however were on the fact that Alice seemed either displeased or distant with her…what had she done wrong?

Alice made it home before Claire or Jill as their car wasn't in the drive-way. Jill more than likely had taken her up on the advice to make sure Claire knew she was interested, so both of them were probably out doing something together which only seemed to piss her off more. Alice slammed the door shut behind her; oh she was beyond pissed now.

"Hey easy with the door," Cassandra called out to her daughter as she looked up from the dining room table.

Alice jumped slightly as she looked towards her mother anger still bubbling at thoughts of everything Claire and Jill could be doing right now, "What the hell are you doing home?"

Cassandra raised her eyebrows at her daughter, "Excuse me?"

Alice closed her eyes as she made her way into the kitchen, "Sorry." She breathed out as she heard her mother's footsteps make their way into the kitchen behind her.

"It's okay I'm just a little surprised," Cassandra turned to look at the kitchen clock before looking back at her daughter, "I came home early to finish up a little more on the 'Regenerate' campaign but you're not supposed to be home for another two or three hours, what happened?"

Alice slammed the fridge door shut and spun around to her mother milk carton in hand, "I kissed Claire, got confirmation she was dating Jill than I told Jill to make sure Claire knew she was interested in her basically telling Jill to sweep the person I think I may be in love with of her feet, I beat the crap out of a bunch of football players, met a guy named Casper, then got myself, Claire, Jill and Casper suspended!" She yelled as she slammed the milk carton onto the kitchen bench, "What happened to you today?" She asked sarcastically as she moved towards the kitchen sink before noticing it was still missing, "Where the fuck is our kitchen sink?" She yelled once again.

Cassandra stood there for a few seconds trying to take in everything her daughter had just said to her before shaking her head, ignoring the previous line of inquisition from her daughter's mouth. "You kissed Claire?"

Alice continued shuffling around the kitchen grabbing a glass from the dishwasher and filling it with milk as she moved towards the dining room table leaving the milk carton on the kitchen table.

"Did she kiss you back?" Cassandra asked sitting down across from Alice.

"Yeah," Alice shrugged chugging down the milk.

"Well that's good news and sweetheart that's not whiskey." Cassandra chuckled as her daughter just glared at her.

"She also pushed me away and took off and ever since then she refuses to discuss it," Alice shrugged, "Haven't had much of a chance to bring it up anyway."

"Sweetheart why don't you just go for it, if it's meant to be you'll be together." Cassandra shrugged.

"That's the problem mom, I don't know if it's meant to be and I don't want to wreck what her and Jill have they seem happy. I…I just don't know anymore, I've never liked somebody like this before." Alice placed her glass on the table before placing her hands in her head, "That plus the fact I got her suspended."

"Do you like her?" Cassandra questioned her daughter.

"A lot mom a hell of a lot," She answered.

"Do you believe you could make her happy?"

"I'd try with every last breath," Alice answered once again.

"Then what the hell are you sitting here for, you should be trying to figure out a way to sweep Claire Redfield of her feet." Cassandra took the glass from her daughter as she stood moving back to the kitchen Alice following behind.

"That's another problem how the hell do I do that?" Alice shook her head, "It's hopeless."

"You just need someone to help you with that part and you're good to go," Cassandra smiled at her daughter as she placed the glass and a few other dirty dishes in the dishwasher.

Alice crinkled her brow for a second, "Mom where does Albert Wesker live?"

"My boss why?"

"I think I've found my way to sweep Claire of her feet." Alice continued still crinkling her brow.

**Short but trust me it all adds up together in the end. Anyway currently I'm curious I've got a few options I want to ask you guys as I'm stuck on where to take the story.**

**1. Should I allow the world to become infected thus expanding the story?**

**2. Should I just make Raccoon City infected and have the heroes stop the infection from spreading outside of Raccoon City basically saving the world?**

**3. Should I have our heroes stop the infection before it's released into Raccoon City, basically having it set inside the Hive?**

**I'd like to put it out there either story will end up having Alice infected with the T-Virus, it will include BOW's such as the Licker's, Nemesis and so on and all stories will include the Hive anyway tell me which one you'd like to see. I'd also like to mention I still haven't watched the very first Resident Evil as I can't find the bloody movie anywhere so the Hive will be a lot different and more expandable than you've probably seen. Next Chapters up shortly.**


	8. Paradise Lost

**This a short and to the point chapter basically giving you a feel for where the story is going anyway hopefully you have picked up on small details within each chapter. Hope you enjoy this chapter guys and girls .**

_So watch my chest heave  
>As this last breath leaves me<br>I am trying to be  
>What you're dying to see<em>

_**Hollywood Undead – Paradise Lost**_

**XXX**

Alice stepped up towards the large gate, Umbrella security making their way over towards her from the inside.

"Can we help you ma'am?"

Alice resisted the urge to roll her eyes at the security officer's politeness, "Uh yeah I'm looking for Casper."

"Does he know your coming?"

"No it's a surprise visit." Alice stated.

The security officer just nodded in response before speaking up again, "Name?"

"Alice," she nodded towards the man as he picked up the receiver beside the gate, speaking into it for a few seconds before putting it down and turning to face her once again.

"Oh right your clear." The security guard spoke to Alice.

Alice smiled, taking a step back as the gate slid open before stepping in.

"Continue down this path and you'll reach the front door."

"Thanks," Alice nodded looking at her reflection in the security officer's visor for few seconds, Claire was right the helmets really did look cool.

Alice looked towards the front door that held Casper with a mustard covered butter knife. "You have to be one of the weirdest people I've ever met and trust me I should know my brother once held the Guinness book of records for that."

"Are you serious?" Casper curiously asked with disbelief.

Alice gave the young man a look of disbelief before noticing the realization hit the man.

"Oh I get it," he waved the knife about; "You were joking, no Guinness book of records." He nodded extending a hand inside to Alice.

"By the way who answers the door with a mustard covered knife?" Alice asked, deciding to take the conversation one step at a time.

Casper shut the door and continued through the halls Alice falling instep behind him as she took in her large surroundings, "Well my apologies I was making a sandwich," He pushed open a swinging door and entered the kitchen, Alice repeating his steps as he turned to face her with curiosity, "How do you even know where I live?"

Alice shrugged as she took a seat on the bar stool at the front of the bench, watching as Casper rounded the bench to continue making the ridiculously large sandwich, "Not many houses have a large Umbrella built into their houses."

Casper looked up curiously towards Alice, "We have an Umbrella logo on our house?"

Alice squinted, "Yeah at the front above the third story window." Alice shook her head in disbelief as Casper continued to look at her weirdly, "You never noticed it?"

"Nope," Casper shrugged before going back to his sandwich, "Any-hoo to my next question; why are you here?"

"I have a…err…proposition I guess you could say, to ask of you," Alice spoke while rubbing the back of her neck.

Casper shot a look in her direction, "I fear what it is, but, I'll give you the benefit of the doubt, so shoot."

"Well earlier on in the cafeteria when we were discussing Claire, you weren't really meaning in a 'friend' way were you?" Alice asked knowing the answer already but still wanting to hear it from him.

"You want the truth or the lie to that?" Casper watched Alice tilt her head before replying, "You like her a lot, it's just noticeable and don't worry about Valentine she'll get over it."

"How the hell do you know Jill is involved with Claire?" Alice asked curiously.

"Let's just say I read people very well," Casper finished speaking as he finished layering the mustard on his sandwich.

Alice opened her mouth to speak but shut it the moment the kitchen door swung open and tall and somewhat built, black haired man stepped inside. Alice turned to Casper who looked as if he hadn't heard the current intrusion or if he just didn't care.

"Casper? What are you doing home early?"

Casper shrugged layering the bread with lettuce, "Let's just say you'll finally get me to join Umbrella."

The man looked curiously at Casper for a few seconds before looking towards the other occupant in the kitchen, "And who's this?"

"Alice this is Albert Wesker, Albert this is Alice." Casper introduced without looking up.

Alice took the extended hand of Albert Wesker's with a polite smile.

"_Sir the experiment is working like a charm," a scientist in a white lab coat spoke once he looked up from the plant he was observing, "In a matter time it'll be a success and then we can cash the check."_

Alice snatched back her hand a little more forcefully than necessary but it went unnoticed or unconcerned by Wesker who was already back to talking with Casper. Alice squinted slightly at the man – what the hell just happened? –.

"I'll be at work once again tonight so feel free to order in," Wesker spoke to his nephew.

"Yeah, yeah," Casper gave a shrug as he continued to cut the tomatoes into slices.

Wesker leant against the bench, looking down at the sandwich in front of his nephew, "So that's an awfully long sandwich, remember what happened last time you ate a sandwich that long?"

"Is there something you wanted?" Casper asked finally looking up from what he was doing to his Uncle.

"No I guess not," Wesker sighed, "Nice to meet you Alice" Wesker nodded towards the young woman before exiting the kitchen leaving an old lady to enter.

"You two obviously don't get along," Alice spoke ignoring the earlier incident and passing it off as her over worked imagination.

"My uncle cares about nobody but himself," Casper shrugged as he finally folded the sandwich before picking it up and smiling innocently at the maid, "All yours Mrs. Crawford, sorry for the mess."

"Yeah, yeah sure you are," she pushed him out the way as she went about cleaning the mess left on the kitchen bench, "Don't make your room or the lounge room messy."

"Nah we'll go down to the games room," Casper smiled as the woman rolled her eyes.

Alice followed closely behind hoping not to get lost in the large house, after a few minutes of continuous walking Casper kicked open a door and proceeded down the steps, "Wow think you got enough games?" Alice asked looking around the arcade like room.

"One can never have too many video games," Casper shrugged sitting down on the couch, "Now anyway what were you going to ask me?"

"I want Claire to get to like me," Alice blurted out quickly as she took her seat next to him on the couch.

"TV and Halo 3," Casper spoke earning a curious look from Alice as the TV rolled down from the ceiling, "You mean you want to sweep Claire off her feet?" Casper turned to Alice for confirmation and when she nodded he turned back to the TV, "Why don't you ask your brother?"

Alice squinted but decided not to comment on the fact he knew she had a brother, "If I ask him he'll laugh at me and then continue to question me on whether or not Jill talked about him at all." Alice rolled her eyes, "I think you and my brother would get along."

Casper choked on the bite that he'd just taken, "I'm not interested in Valentine."

"That's not what I meant," Alice shook her head, "Look all I need is advice and I got an hour and half to get some."

"You've got a really short deadline there," Casper questioned.

"Nah I got to go pick up my brother Carlos," Alice rolled her eyes, "He wants to go to the mall after school today to see if he has enough money to buy his Home Theatre yet."

Casper nodded before looking at Alice, "Why doesn't he just buy a car with the money instead?"

Alice shrugged, "He says a car can't buy you happiness."

Casper scoffed at that, "He obviously has no idea."

"Yeah but I figured since I've saved up enough once he's done at the mall today I'd buy a vehicle." Alice shrugged, "Least I can drive it then."

"Hold up you can drive but you don't have a vehicle?"

"Long story," Alice shook her head urging him not to continue as the main menu's promo of Halo 3 started to play, "So about the 'sweeping'?"

"Oh right," Casper nodded before thinking, "Well the main problem seems to be getting rid of Valentine for a few hours so you can spend some time with Claire." Casper turned to face Alice, "She doesn't like Carlos does she?"

"From what I've seen…" Alice paused, shaking her head, "Nope."

"Well there goes using him as a diversion for you and Claire," Casper shrugged.

"So what now?" she asked chuckling slightly at the thought of Carlos being a diversion by asking Jill to spend time with him.

"Well let's skip that step for now, what exactly will you do if you got time with her?" Casper asked.

"I don't know, but first I'd probably sit her down to talk about me kissing her, sort that out first, it'd be one way to find out if she's interested in me."

Casper choked on the food he had just swallowed as he patted his chest in an attempt to force the food down the right way, turning to Alice he looked at her in disbelief, "You what?"

"I kissed Claire," Alice said with a sigh, she really hated thinking about the kiss, it was what basically started all the problems.

"Did she kiss you back?"

Alice nodded, "She pushed me away too."

"That's good," Casper nodded smiling.

"Look I don't know much about this subject but I do know pushing is not a good thing."

Casper shook his head, "It means she likes you but she's stuck between her feelings for you and Valentine which means you're in with a chance." Casper stood up and paced sandwich still in hand as Alice contemplated his last train of thought, "Oh right you should do small but oblivious things for Claire, it doesn't matter if Valentine notices but Claire mustn't for a little while."

"I think it matters if Valentine notices," Alice spoke up.

"No she won't call you or Claire out on it in fear of losing Claire," Casper stopped his pacing before turning to face Alice, "Small things like, even small touches a great." Casper nodded, "Invite her and Valentine to the movies best way, just make sure it's a movie she would want to see and make sure she hasn't seen it before."

"Look as I said I don't know much about this as never having done it before but doesn't that make me a third wheel?" Alice questioned.

"No see what you do is invite your brother and make sure you and him sit in between Claire and Valentine, in which case it seems innocent, but also make sure your seated next to Claire and not Valentine or it defeats the purpose." Casper pointed out, "So yeah small things."

Alice groaned, "Such as?"

"It's all about timing and going with the flow," Casper nodded as his Uncle came down the stairs.

"Hey Casper, I decided I'm going to stay home tonight I figure don't need to work all the time." Wesker commented once he reached mid flight of the stairs.

"Nah no need I'm going out in a second I've got a few things I have to do." Casper shrugged as he looked down at Alice, "We should go pick up your brother it'll be about a half hour drive."

"Uh…"

"It's fine, then I'll see you in the morning," Wesker nodded turning to leave.

"You should give him a chance," Alice spoke up, "He's trying."

"If only you knew Alice," Casper shook his head before moving towards the door Alice in tow leaving the Halo 3 menu promo to repeatedly play on the TV screen, "So what will we call this operation?"

"What?" Alice asked.

"Oh come it needs a quirky name," Casper grinned, "How about Operation Kermit."

Alice stared at him weirdly once they reached the stairway door.

"You see people will think we're talking about a green frog but we'll know what we're talking about." Casper nodded as Alice continued staring at him, "Okay, okay how about Operation Big Bird?" Casper sighed when no reply came, "Fine Operation Telletubies and that's my final offer."

Alice shook her head, "Were not naming it anything."

"Fine," Casper sighed with resignation, he took a few steps down the hallway before finishing, "How about Operation SpongeBob?"

Alice face palmed once again.

**Lol it's a really short chapter this one so I decided I'd post another one after this equaling a total of four chapters in a matter of hours lol man am I on a roll anyway I really do hope you guys like Casper. Hope you enjoyed this Chapter.**


	9. When I'm With You

**Here's yet another chapter a very long one but hopefully you guys enjoy, next chapter will be up ASAP.**

_Yeah we've had our ups and down  
>But we've always worked them out<br>Babe am I ever glad we've got this far now  
>Still I'm lying here tonight<br>Wishing I was by your side_

_**Faber Drive – When I'm With You**_

**XXX**

Alice rolled her shoulders as herself and Casper waited out front of the school in the black and green dodge viper, she had spent the past hour convincing Casper that they weren't naming her getting Claire to like her after a children's program.

"Operation Wiggles?"

Alice annoyingly sighed – as you can see convincing failed –. "For the last time Casper we are not naming it Operation, Kermit, Big Bird, Telletubies, SpongeBob, Elmo, Fred Flintstone, George Jetson, Homer Simpson, Bender, Pikachu, or Wiggles." Alice took a deep breath once she had finished.

"Right so Operation Master Chief it is then, "Casper nodded, "I actually preferred that one."

"What?"

"You mentioned all but Operation Master Chief," Casper smiled.

Alice face palmed – her face was getting sore – "I meant were not naming it anything, which means any names I forgot to mention were aren't naming it any of them."

Casper sighed before slouching down in the driver's seat, "Fine."

Alice nodded finally happy the discussion was over. She smiled slightly once she saw Carlos exiting the school doors with Chris and some blonde guy. She cast a quick glance towards Casper who was humming quietly to himself, he reminded her so much of her brother but yet he was so different. Alice pushed open the door and got out of the vehicle before turning in the direction of Carlos, waving a hand towards him. "Carlos!" she caught her brothers attention and he started to walk over to her Chris and the other guy following along beside.

"Holy crap were on Earth did you get this?" Carlos asked with admiration as he ran his hand over the bonnet of the car.

Alice rolled her eyes, "The school gave to me as a gift," she said sarcastically.

"Which comes to my next question why are you out here? Your class finish early?" Carlos asked once again.

"I got suspended," Alice shrugged out.

"What did Claire do?" Chris piped in as Kmart and Angela appeared behind.

Alice shook her head, "I beat up bunch of football players Claire had nothing to do with it."

"Wow for once your sister has nothing to do with it," the other spoke up with a thick Russian accent.

Kmart chuckled, "Yeah but you know Mr. Boshck he probably suspended her too."

"Hey Angie," Casper pressed the button underneath the handle of the door to roll down the window.

Angela gave a small wave in his direction but continued to remain silent.

"And who's that?" Carlos pointed towards the young man in the car.

"I'm her new boyfriend Casper," Casper spoke up earning a roll of Alice's eyes.

"He's just…" Alice thought for a few seconds, "A friend."

Casper smirked and added sarcastically, "She's having a hard time coming to terms with it." Casper chuckled, "I'd love to get going right now."

"Right," Alice acknowledged, "Come on Carlos."

"You need a lift anywhere Angie?"

"No me and Kmart are going to the movies with Chris and Nicholai." Angela spoke up quietly.

"Okay say hi to your dad for me," Casper gave a wave before pushing the window button once more to wind it up.

Carlos more than enthusiastically jumped inside the vehicle, "Awesome leather seats."

"I know," Casper turned to face Carlos once Alice got in the vehicle giving a short but courteous wave towards Chris and the others. "And listen to this," Casper flicked on the stereo as the surround sound started pumping throughout the car."

"I love you baby," Carlos sighed happily as he hugged the back seat.

"Okay now you're just going to far…" Casper shook his head, "Nobody and I mean nobody hugs my car but me." Casper rubbed the dashboard, "it's okay girl I still love you."

Alice stared at both Carlos and Casper for a few seconds, she had the urge to face palm but resisted it. She was going to be stuck in a tiny space with two complete idiots for an extended amount of time; she just prayed she didn't go insane.

Alice pushed open the car door and quickly scrambled out; she needed space and lots of it. She had spent the past fifteen minutes listening to them contemplate SpongeBob living in a pineapple house; she was on the verge of insanity.

"Who lives in a pineapple under the sea?" Carlos sang as he exited the vehicle.

"SpongeBob Square pants," Casper finished excitedly.

Alice shut her eyes tightly waiting for it to be over; - as you can see the conversation had turned to singing the SpongeBob Square pants song…repeatedly. Alice shook her head opening her eyes as she moved to the Raccoon City Shopping Complex doors, the two young men following behind her as they continued to sing SpongeBob.

"And hit it sis," Carlos spoke up as he fell in step beside Alice.

Alice turned to Carlos with a glare, she'd hit something but it wouldn't be singing. "Let's just find your home theatre."

"Yeah I'm getting hungry and I go Hulk when I'm hungry," Casper chuckled as the glare turned to him and he held up his hands, "What'd I do?"

"She's just a grumpy bum," Carlos spoke up and quickly earned a slap up the back of the head from Alice.

Casper laughed, "I wonder why." Casper smiled innocently and diverted his attention away from the siblings as the glare was shot his way again, "Hey look a rock."

Carlos stepped inside the shopping complex and inhaled deeply, "I wonder what I could buy Jill while I'm here?" Carlos turned his attention to Alice, "What do you think she'd like?"

"You to stop flirting with her," Alice turned her attention to Carlos before halting her sentence at the sight of the booth in the far corner of the food court. "Then again," Alice squinted; Carlos could be off use right now.

"Then again what?" Carlos asked as his attention was drawn to bouncy ball's that were being automatically bounced by a machine.

"You know Casper if your still hungry we could always get something to eat first," she turned to face Casper who had picked up a springy from the shelf of a small stall and had started playing with it.

"Look at the colors it's so, springy and blue," Casper pulled on it then pushed it back as Alice nudged him in his ribs with her elbow causing him to look up. "What?"

Alice nodded in the direction of the table.

"Oh you go girl," Casper smiled as he went back to playing with the springy.

Alice rolled her eyes, pulled out a dollar note and paid for the springy Casper was playing with before grabbing the young man's shirt and dragging him off towards the food court, Carlos following reluctantly.

"I want a bouncy ball," Carlos complained as they made their way towards the food court, "If he gets a springy I want a bouncy ball."

Alice rolled her eyes, "I'll get you a bouncy ball later."

"But I want one now," Carlos complained once again.

"I'm buying an early dinner."

Carlos perked up at this and enthusiastically made his way over to the nearest shopping complex food store, "Fine by me then."

"Can we have Chinese," Casper spoke up and grunted when Alice's foot connected with his, "Oh right." He smiled innocently, "We'll get Thai then."

Alice rolled her eyes still staring in the direction of the booth as Carlos started ordering, she turned away quickly once Claire caught sight of her.

"That's good look as if you're not noticing them," Casper leant in to whisper to Alice.

Alice rolled her eyes as Carlos continued ordering.

"Alice!" Claire called out with a wave over towards the small group, Jill ignoring it completely.

"Don't look, don't wave," Casper spoke up hurriedly, "Start ordering and pretend you didn't hear her."

Alice resisted the urge to look and wave back, instead turning to order food once Carlos had received his piled plate of food, "I'll just have the special."

"I'll get the same and I'll pay," Casper pointed out.

"I said I'd pay." Alice turned to face Casper as he stepped up to the cashier.

"Drinks with that?" the Cashier asked.

"Just water," Alice replied.

"I'll have a juice, any," Casper replied before turning to Alice as he hand over the money, "Save your money for your girl." Casper chuckled at that before turning to face Carlos who was sifting through his food looking for any coleslaw before putting it on the side of his plate with small grimaces.

"The next time they call out look around for a few seconds before looking in their direction makes you look like you didn't know they were there, works like a charm." Casper shrugged as he received his food and Alice her's.

Alice rolled her eyes but was grateful for having the new found friend with her, "Right I'll remember that."

"Alice!" Claire called out once more.

Alice did as told and took a quick look around before focusing her attention on Claire who was waving her over with a smile, Jill – well the woman looked less than pleased –. Before Alice could even speak Carlos was making his way over towards the two women, Casper motioning for her to go before him. She complied rather hesitantly as she made her way over towards Claire and Jill, hearing Casper bring up the rear.

"Hey guys didn't know you were here," Carlos said quickly sliding into the booth next to a reluctant Jill.

Casper gave Alice a small nudge towards Claire before dragging over a chair from a separate table, not before asking if anyone was using it to the occupants of the table.

Alice hesitantly slid into the booth next to Claire and looked towards Jill who obviously wasn't happy with the current seating arrangements.

"You guys are hanging out?" Claire questioned looking between Casper and Alice, trying her best to ignore the small spark of jealousy. She was sure Alice didn't swing that way especially after this morning but still there was no denying the fact that Alice didn't look gay and Casper was a respectable guy and was good looking so…

"Yeah, you know my house has an Umbrella sign on it," Casper pointed out, "Alice pointed it out to me."

"You went over to his house?" Claire asked immediately regretting it.

Alice shrugged as she continued playing with her food, "Yeah just you know get to know him better, plus to apologize for ruining his lunch."

Claire nodded before shifting uncomfortably, oh she did not like where this was going.

"So how was the bus ride?" Jill spoke up before Carlos could continue chatting away to her.

Alice was grateful for the change in subject even if it was Jill changing the subject, a quick look over to Casper and she knew he had intentionally said those sentences from before. "It was okay, I saw new buildings and things I never thought I would," Alice shrugged, "I took a lot of buses getting home I even think I took one of them twice."

Carlos chuckled, "That's my sister for you."

Alice kicked under the table but instead of getting Carlos her shoe connect with Casper's shin causing him to look at her curiously, she mouthed 'sorry' to him before looking apologetically towards him.

Claire shifted once more in her chair; these looks where not doing anything crush her jealousy only igniting it. She never had a problem with Casper; he had always been a perfect gentleman to her, even though she was sure he knew her preferences but right now she wanted to drag him over the table towards her and beat him senseless.

Carlos turned to Jill before speaking up, "I'm going to buy a home theatre today want to come and help me pick one out?" He asked hopeful.

Alice looked towards Jill awaiting her confirmation, which could be what she needed to get a few minutes alone with Claire.

"Home Theatre's aren't they like thirty grand or something?" Claire piped in.

"Our mom pitched in half," Carlos shrugged as he waved a finger between himself and Alice, "And Alice is going to help with some of it."

Alice turned to her brother with disbelief, "I am? I wish I was the first one to know this."

"Oh come on sis, please." Carlos begged, "You won't need to get me that bouncy ball."

Alice caught the face palm from Casper in the corner of her eye and chuckled – least she wasn't the only one face palming today –.

"I'll make you a deal Carlos," Casper turned to face Carlos who in turn turned to face him.

"Yeah?" he dragged out curiously as he turned to face Casper.

"You give Alice whatever money you have for a car and I'll pay for the Home Theatre, deal?" Casper asked with raised eyebrows as Carlos considered this while Alice turned to him shocked.

"There is no way in hell you are paying for that," Alice shook her head furiously.

"Hey I've got enough money and well let's put it this way…can't take it with me when I go." Casper shrugged.

"Yeah but it's not like your dying anytime soon," Alice said continuing to disagree.

"Don't count on it," Casper spoke before turning his attention back to Carlos finishing his previous train of thought before questions could be asked, "So Carlos what you think?"

"You got a deal," Carlos reached out shaking Casper's hand.

"Carlos wait till mom hears this," Alice shook her head.

"Hey it's still going to a good cause," Carlos smiled towards his sister praying she would agree with him.

Alice rolled her eyes before sighing, "Fine you win but I get to pick the car."

Carlos sighed, "Fine." He shrugged before going back to eating.

"What car you plan on getting?" Jill spoke up once the previous conversation died just as quickly as it had started.

Alice shrugged, "Don't know."

Casper shook his head before turning to face Claire, "Hey Claire you take the mechanic class don't you?"

"It's automobile and yeah why?" She asked curiously as she stirred the remainder of drink with her straw, trying her best to crush down her jealousy.

"Well there you go Alice a somewhat professional could help you," Casper smiled at her before starting to eat.

Alice got the underlying message loud and clear as she turned to look at Claire, "You wouldn't mind helping me pick a car would you?"

Claire shrugged, "Sure don't see why not just don't trust me as Casper said I'm only somewhat a professional."

"She's just being modest Claire has the best taste in vehicles," Jill smiled at Claire which was returned just as genuinely as her own.

Claire smiled at the compliment previous jealousy ignored, why was she jealous in the first place? She had Jill and Jill made her happy? But Alice…well Alice had somehow wormed her way inside and she had pushed Alice away so she couldn't actually blame Alice if she decided to like someone else.

"Good well I don't think I can eat anymore," Casper pushed his plate away as he turned to Carlos, "So come on let's go find your Home Theatre, Valentine care to join us?" He questioned the young woman as Alice stared at him curiously.

Jill was about to shake her head but Casper piped up once more.

"I hear S.T.A.R.S. is showing of their skills in the middle of the shopping complex."

This got Jill's attention and she shrugged, "Fine let's go find this Home Theatre." Jill sighed standing up as Carlos got out of his seat allowing Jill to exit the booth giving her some space from the over excited man, "You two coming?" she looked down towards Alice and Claire who were still seated in the booth.

Casper looked at Alice hoping she understood what he was doing.

Alice pointed down to her tray, "I'm not done yet." She finished and noticed the relieved look on Casper's face.

"I'll stay with her so she doesn't get lost; catch up with you guys later." Claire smiled and earned a reluctant nod from Jill.

"After you ma lady," Casper bowed extending his arm while earning a roll of Jill's eyes.

Casper leant down towards Alice to whisper in her ear conspiratorially once Jill and Carlos had rounded the food court entrance, "You so owe me one."

Alice smirked up at Casper once he pulled away and saluted.

"Hey hurry up we ain't got all day," Jill called out.

"Well I apologize for not being speedy Gonzalez Valentine," Casper rolled his eyes earning an aggravated sigh in return.

"Just hurry up," Jill called out.

Alice turned back to her food once Carlos, Casper and Jill had disappeared from eyesight both Jill and Casper arguing. An awkward silence had been left behind, Alice had no idea how to go about talking to the redhead and without her trusty guide she was screwed…yet again. "So…"

"So…" Claire chuckled after she mirrored Alice's failed attempt at a conversation.

"Look I just apologize for this morning I wasn't thinking straight," Alice shrugged.

"Spur of the moment thing?" Claire questioned somewhat stuck between hoping it was and hoping it wasn't.

"Yeah pretty much, "Alice rubbed the back of her neck nervously.

"I thought so especially after seeing you and Casper," Claire shrugged, "He's great guy and it's nice to see him not alone anymore."

Alice could swear she heard a hint of jealousy within the redheads sentence, "What me and Casper?" She shook her head, "He reminds me off my brother, the dufus."

Claire chuckled, "Sorry it was just after watching your guy's actions it was kind of the first thing that came to mind, didn't mean any offense by it."

Alice waved it off, "Don't worry about it, trust me takes a lot more to offend me then that."

Claire chuckled once again, "Thank god for that."

The silence once again fell over the booth and Alice started feeling as if it wasn't such a good idea to leave herself and Claire alone at the table. Alice spoke up and hated the sentence that came out but couldn't stop it with all the force she could muster up, "So Jill was worried you didn't like her anymore."

Claire shot her head towards Alice a curious look on her face, "What?"

"Yeah she thought all of the extra touching this morning meant that you didn't like her anymore," Alice rolled her eyes trying to look as casual as possible when all she wanted to do was tell the redhead that maybe it was best her and Jill broke up and that she could make her happier…but could she?

"Oh crap she noticed that," Claire put her face in her hands, "That's why she asked if I wanted go do something."

"Yeah," Alice nodded leaving the majority of her's and Jill's conversation out. "You mind me asking why?"

"Why what?" she asked turning her head in her hands to face Alice.

"Why the extra touching," Alice turned away from Claire to look back down to her food.

"Well you had just kissed me and well I guess…I don't know." Claire sighed before leaning back in her chair.

Alice looked towards Claire's empty cup, "Small things," Alice whispered to herself as Claire turned to her.

"What?"

"Nothing," Alice shook her head, "Come on let's find the other's cause I have a feeling Jill is about to murder Carlos and I really don't want to explain to my mother why were having a funeral for her son." Alice stood picking up her tray and Claire's empty cup before stepping out of the booth and waiting for Claire to follow.

Claire smiled before stepping out of the booth and following Alice over towards the bin where Alice disposed of the rubbish.

"Just one thing first," Alice turned to the stall near the front entrance, "I have to buy Carlos his bouncy ball."

Claire chuckled at this but followed Alice anyway.

Alice and Claire stepped up beside a bored looking Carlos as Casper and Jill's voices continued to rise in tone. "What happened?" she was positive she'd find Jill trying her best not to murder Carlos when they found the group but instead here the woman was trying her best not to murder Casper.

"Oh my god, it's just a bloody Home Theatre it's not like it's the end of the world!" Jill yelled.

"Oh that's totally a females opinion no respect for entertainment!" Casper yelled back.

"Entertainment," Jill scoffed, "Are you serious? Watching a bunch of men in tights wrestle with each other is not entertainment."

"Oh you did not just call wrestler's gay," Casper shook his head, "Oh hell no!"

"Seriously what bunch of men wrestle in tights with no shirt, I mean seriously there is just…oh my god you can't be that dumb." Jill shook her head, "Or maybe you are."

Alice, Claire and Carlos continued to watch the argument as staff and customers turned to watch. Alice resisted the urge to laugh, feeling Claire fighting of the urge as well. "What the hell happened?" Alice turned to Carlos for an answer, Claire following her line of sight as Jill and Casper continued arguing.

"Well one moment we were picking a Home Theatre the next they were arguing, I don't really know what happened." Carlos shrugged, "It's been going for a good ten minutes now."

"Well at least I'm not a grumpy bitch Valentine." Casper crossed his arms.

Jill scoffed, "Well least I'm not a childish bastard."

"Whoa okay, okay, let's dull down the word usage there a children around." Claire stepped up between the two holding one hand out to each. "Let's just pick a Home Theatre and get out of here."

Jill crossed her arms but left the argument there, the man was infuriating more infuriating than Carlos's continuous flirtations.

"Good," Claire smiled, they had stopped arguing instead resulting to glares – well least they weren't yelling anymore – Claire smiled and shook her head before turning to face Carlos, "You pick a Home Theatre yet?"

"Yep that one," Carlos pointed to the large Home Theatre that sat at the back wall.

"Carlos a little expensive don't you think?" Alice asked hoping Carlos got the message.

"Don't worry about it; after all we better get out of this store before Valentine loses her temper after all who knows what a crazy bitch could do in an electronics store." Casper spoke up before leaving to find a staff member.

Claire stepped a little more forcefully in front of a highly agitated Jill who was about ready to grab the guy and throttle him, "Jill." Claire got out tersely, while Jill rolled her eyes aggravated before moving away from Claire to lean against a shelf near the entrance of the store. "Well that could have gone better I suppose."

A good fifteen minutes later and they were out the store, Alice somewhat thankful that the argument had died down only leaving a seriously pissed of Jill in its wake; even Casper had perked up at his freebie that he had got for spending over five hundred dollars.

"Look at it, it flashes," Casper pushed the device in Jill's face with a smile, "Pink than blue than green than purple than red. It's so cool," Casper excitedly said retracting the device once Jill pushed it away.

Jill was seriously pissed; her day had ended up going from good to terrible to good to terrible to good to absolutely fucking unbearable in a matter of hours. First she had woken up, next to a beaming Claire, then she had thought she wasn't showing enough interest in Claire, then Alice helped her realize that herself and Claire should spend more time out of the house with nobody around, then Alice had gone and defended her girlfriend when she had no right to, then she and Claire had gotten suspended along with Alice and the annoying man beside her, she had ended up taking Claire on what she was planning to be a date till Alice and the others showed up, then Carlos had started flirting with her once more, then she was dragged of reluctantly without Claire and Alice leaving her to ponder what was going with them, then she had gotten into an argument with the unbelievable annoying man beside her and now she was overly pissed that he was able to be so happy after such an argument.

"Cheer up Valentine," Casper said once they had fallen in step behind Alice, Claire and a chatting Carlos. Casper looked down at the device in his hand and brought up a drawing board before drawing a bright blue smiley face on it and showing Jill, "Smile." He said smiling brightly at the woman before jogging to catch up with Claire, Alice and Carlos who had a growing distance between them.

Jill smiled slightly before grounding her teeth, why the hell was she smiling? He had pissed her off only a few minutes ago. "Ugh," Jill groaned before catching up with the group.

"So as I said accuracy depends on how to hold the gun," the man said as he turned inside the clear bullet proof box that he was standing in.

"And stance," Jill piped in once they arrived in the small group gathered out front of the box.

"And stance that's true," the man nodded, "you must make sure your arms are perfectly solid when firing."

"It needs flexible still," Casper piped in earning a nod from Jill.

The man turned to face the two occupants who had interrupted twice in a row, "Why flexible?"

"Well let's see, if it's not flexible you'll have a harder time snapping your weapon between targets." Casper answered.

"However it also has to remain solid as to increase accuracy and to reduce kick-back," Jill finished earning a nod from Casper.

"That's a good point," the man nodded before turning back to the rest of the group.

A few minutes later and the man had offered for anybody in the group to step inside the box and have a try at shooting, although it gave the people the only chance to fire a gun they'd probably ever have there were still some what hesitant conversations floating around.

"What are they trying to do? Encourage people to buy a gun and go around shooting people?" Casper asked with disbelief.

"There's nothing wrong with defense," Jill retorted.

"There is when you're defending yourself from the wrong people," Casper spoke crossing his arms.

Alice rolled her eyes before raising her hand stopping an argument before it erupted – guns plus arguments usually equaled injury –, "I'll try."

Jill shot a look towards Alice before squinting and speaking up, "So will I."

Alice and Jill both stepped into the clear bulletproof box, both being handed a 9mm and an ammo clip. Alice and Jill both stared at each other as the man started showing them how to reload the gun but before the man could even get half way both Alice and Jill put the clip inside before ejecting it and repeating the placement of the clip.

"Well seems like you know what you're doing, have a try at shooting."

Jill pulled back on the barrel allowing it to snap forward keeping the clip in place and loading the first bullet into the cartridge while Alice did the same. She got into a shooting stance watching as Alice did the same.

"Now it's usually required to wear muffs but I think you guys should be okay."

Alice and Jill both ignored the man as shots rang out throughout the box, both women barely affected by the kick back of the pistol. Alice felt the over drive of adrenaline at each trigger pull, she ejected the clip before grabbing another off the table and reloading before continuing her firing, Jill following her actions to the exact detail. She was almost positive she wasn't pulling the trigger willingly; it was like her body purely understood the notion of firing a gun.

"Excellent."

Alice lowered the 9mm, Jill following the simple action as they both turned to look at each other's targeting board.

"You guy's ever fired a gun before?" the man asked with curiosity.

"First time," Jill shrugged trying not to sound pissed at the fact her's and Alice's accuracy had been a match both hitting the center spot on.

"Same here," Alice replied resisting the urge to pick up another clip.

Casper turned to Claire, "Hell wanna give it a try Red?"

Claire glared at the young man before shrugging, "Why not?"

Alice and Jill both stepped out of the box staring contest still happening while Casper and Claire both stepped inside. Alice eventually diverted her attention feeling Jill do the same once bullets rang out in the air.

Claire lowered the gun returning Casper's high five that he had given her.

"You sure none of you kids have ever fired a gun before?"

"I do paint ball." Claire shrugged moving to exit the box.

"I've fired before," Casper noted before leaving the box with Claire.

Alice and Jill turned away from Claire and Casper to continue staring at each other.

"So I'm hungry," Carlos spoke up breaking the silence.

"Aren't you going to give it a try?" Casper spoke up.

"Me and guns don't go well together," Carlos shook his head, "But I'm good at paint ball."

"Hey I think I just got what we can do on Friday night," Claire smirked, "I say we make a paint ball team and kick our opponent's ass."

"Hell I'm game, Carlos?" Casper shrugged before asking.

Carlos shrugged, "As long as I get food."

Alice rolled her eyes before handing over the bouncy ball she had brought earlier to him, "Just play with that, paint ball sounds fun."

Jill nodded, "Paint ball sounds great." Jill added with a bright smile at Claire before moving over to the woman almost possessively.

Alice thought back to the car she had planned on getting after everything was done at the mall, but seeing Jill standing there with Claire she realized she wouldn't be able to keep an eye on the two if she brought her own car…maybe holding out for a little while longer wasn't such a bad idea.

**Over five-thousand words man was this a difficult chapter to write but hopefully I got everything right and you guys liked it. Anyway next chapter is on the way just got to finish typing it up also I can't help but admit I feel a little sorry for Jill; I mean she's got no chance at winning Claire over especially when her competition is Alice, Jill is still my third favorite character of the RE movie series – second in video games – so she'll end up with someone…who? Well you'll just have to wait and see.**


	10. I'd Come For You

**Hey guys here's the newest update and I'd just like to mention the release of the virus will take a while but it will happen, don't worry however as our heroes will be coming face to face with Umbrella next chapter meaning things will start picking up a lot more…plus for one of my reviewers FanFicGal who wanted a fight between Alice & Jill you got it (not as good as the real one in Retribution will be) but hopefully it's good enough. Also Rain returns in a bigger part next chapter.**

_By now you'd know that I'd come for you  
>No one but you, yes I'd come for you<br>But only if you told me to  
>And I'd fight for you<br>I'd lie, it's true  
>Give my life for you<br>You know I'd always come for you  
><em>_**Nickelback – I'd Come For You**_

**XXX**

Friday came quicker than Alice could imagine. She had spent a few hours each day with Claire, Jill and Carlos but had yet to see Casper most likely considering the fact she had forgotten to tell him where she lived, since Jill had taken them home after Casper mentioned something that he had to do that was important and he had to leave and that he'd see them Friday but it was probably also the fact that whenever Casper started to speak Jill would glare at him and he'd shut up.

"Feet off the coffee table," Cassandra spoke up knocking her daughter's feet of the table. "Geez I must sound like a broken record."

"And you know where broken records go," Alice chuckled barely ducking today's news paper.

"So looking forward to paint ball tonight?" she asked as she shuffled through her papers, placing the newspaper to her right.

"Yeah," Alice nodded as her brother sat in the kitchen ignoring the conversation and instead focusing on the breakfast bowl in front of him. "Why is he eating breakfast when it's four o'clock in the afternoon?"

"He got hungry and I ran out of food," Cassandra shrugged before looking towards her daughter, "So…so far you've been using the Regenerate product for four days is it helping at all with your vitamins?" She knew her daughter didn't approve of the idea of lying to people about the products supplement form instead of anti-aging but those were the facts of life…sometime's lying was okay if it was for the best.

"Yeah but then again mom I'm not a real fair test after all my health is perfect." Alice shrugged, "And don't ask Carlos, he gave me his doses."

Cassandra rolled her eyes, "Figures, so nothing different?"

"Honestly…no." Alice shook her head.

"Well the good news is the boss is planning to try it out himself before administering it to any test subjects." Cassandra shrugged.

"You mean I wasn't supposed to have that?" Alice asked curiously, forgetting the fact that the boss was planning on administering himself when that's what test subjects were for.

"Yeah which means no blabbing to anyone," Cassandra shrugged.

"My lips are sealed," Alice made motion of a zip across her lips before switching on the TV.

"How long do you think you'll be at the paint ball for?"

Alice shrugged, "It's a twenty-four hour game for some charity thing but I don't think we'll be there that long, Carlos is likely to fall asleep or get grumpy without it."

Cassandra chuckled before shaking her head, "Well just make sure you're back before midnight, no walking the streets okay?"

Alice nodded as her mom packed up her things before moving towards the door, "Got it mom but aren't you forgetting something?"

Cassandra turned to her daughter curiously, "What?"

"Look after Carlos," she turned her attention away from the TV to look towards her mother with a grin on her face.

Cassandra rolled her eyes, "That one you should know of by heart by now."

"Hey I heard that!" Carlos called out finally exiting the kitchen breakfast bowl in hand.

Alice laughed, "Bye mom." She waved.

"Bye you two," Cassandra called back as her son started mumbling under his breath leaving herself and Alice to roll their eyes before she left.

"So should I wear the blue shirt with the brown logo or the white shirt with the brown logo?" Carlos asked putting the empty bowl down on the coffee table.

"For the last time Carlos, I don't think Jill will care what you wear?" Alice rolled her eyes when he started contemplating his decision in mumbles choosing to ignore her.

"I think if I'm right recalling her saying she liked white." Carlos shrugged and made his way up the stairs taking two at a time.

Alice shook her head as she turned back to the TV, just getting back into the mood of watching the TV once the door bell rang. Alice groaned, seriously? "If it's a thief the back window is open, if it's the mailman leave the package at the door, if I have to sign take it to the post office, if it's someone I long ago stopped talking to put your name and number in the letter box, if it's someone I don't give a shit about you should know what to do, if it's someone for Carlos well than he's busy changing his shirt so ditch rocks at his window it's second story around the back and closest to the garden shed and finally if it's someone I know the doors open!" Alice called out taking a deep breath once she perched her feet up on the coffee table simply enjoying the TV cartoon playing.

"Seriously, who invites a robber into their home?" Claire asked popping her head inside the house.

"Someone crazy is all I know," Jill mumbled stepping inside the house reluctantly.

"I just couldn't be bothered getting up," Alice shrugged, "Just got comfy."

Claire laughed before sitting down on the right side of Alice leaving her in between Alice and Jill on the three seated couch, "What you watching?" Claire asked with curiosity.

"SpongeBob," Alice answered once the commercials finished and the cartoon started up again.

"Are you serious?" Claire asked laughing.

"Trust me when you listen to a debate about SpongeBob for a good fifteen to twenty minutes and listen to the song about a sponge that lives in a pineapple under the sea you become curious as to why the show is for children," Alice replied.

"Is that an Easter Island head?" Jill asked tilting her head to the side, to get a better view of the house.

"I'm still trying to figure that out," Alice answered.

"Squidward also plays a clarinet," Carlos spoke up once he made it down stairs.

"Okay now I'm curious," Claire spoke up once Mr. Krabbs started kissing a green money bill, "He owns a restaurant under the sea?"

"Yeah and the talking squid serves customers and the talking sponge flips the crabby patties," Alice stated, watching as Claire's confused look got even more confused.

"It's awesome wait till you see the daughter of Mr. Krabbs," Carlos smiled brightly as he spoke sitting on the arm rest closest to Jill as he continued buttoning up the shirt he was wearing.

Jill rolled her eyes before turning to Alice, "So what time is what's his name showing up?"

Alice shrugged, "Considering the fact he has no idea where I live he may just show up at the Raccoon City Paint Ball Club."

"What time?" Claire questioned.

Alice gave a shrug to Claire before lowering her feet off the coffee table, "I don't know but I guess I better get dressed so we can get going."

Claire nodded giving Alice a small smile as Alice made her way to the staircase and up the stairs before disappearing from view leaving her with an annoyed Jill who was having her ear talked off by Carlos.

Forty five minutes later and Alice was stepping inside the Raccoon City Paint Ball Club that was just located at the edge of the Arklay Mountains giving it the best place to play paint ball. They had all decided against bringing their own paint ball armor sets for the fact that the Paint Ball Clubs twenty-four hour charity run meant teams would be picked by the Club itself.

"I wonder where he is," Carlos commented pulling up his jeans once more.

Alice rolled her eyes –what was it with guys and wearing their pants hanging down?– Alice shook her head before looking around the lobby that was jam packed with children, teenagers and adults all waiting to be let through the Club to the Arklay Mountains where the fun actually began. "I don't see him."

"Maybe he got hit by a bus on the way over," Jill commented a hopeful tone in her voice.

"Hopefully not," Claire nodded putting her phone away as she glanced around the lobby.

"Hopefully so," Jill muttered under her breath as Claire shot her a sharp look.

"Sorry to disappoint then," Casper called out as he slid in front of the group a beaming smile sent in Jill's direction.

"Let's just go sign up," Jill rolled her eyes before brushing past the young man and moving up to the counter with Claire and Carlos in tow.

Alice turned to Casper curiously while squinting slightly, "I think you do that just to piss her off."

"And where may I ask did you draw that conclusion?" Casper questioned while grinning like a fool.

Alice rolled her eyes but laughed slightly as she moved to follow after her brother and the other's, Casper falling in step beside her.

"She's…she's just so easy to annoy," Casper stated as he turned to Alice smiling mischievously, "And don't tell me you haven't thought about pissing her off."

Alice shrugged with a smile of her own as they finally reached the counter where Claire, Jill and Carlos were being served. Truthfully she had thought about it a lot but had never actually taken action to do so; the guy was right though Jill did seem an easy person to piss off.

"Just the three," the receptionist asked.

"Nope there are five," Claire pointed at the two new arrivals.

"Okay sign here and how long do you plan on playing?"

Alice looked towards Claire who shrugged her shoulders and looked towards Jill who seemed rather displeased that it all came down to her.

"I'll put you down for six hours and whatever time you don't use up we'll reimburse you." The receptionist offered a bright smile once each of the teenagers finished signing, "Okay in five minutes we'll open up the hall and its fourth door on the right you'll be given your armor than your ready to go."

Alice gave a nod and a thankful smile to the receptionist before turning to see Carlos already chatting away with a slightly aggravated Jill, their paint ball session if Carlos wasn't careful wasn't going to end well...for him at least.

"Pissed off Valentine and paint ball gun don't seem like a good combination," Casper chuckled, "Especially when half the group inside here are males." Casper shuddered.

Alice rolled her eyes but couldn't help the snicker that escaped her at the thought.

"Can I have your attention please?"A man in a mascot Raccoon City Dragons Football Team outfit yelled out from his spot on the receptionist desk.

"Anyone wearing a suit like that doesn't need to ask for attention," Claire pointed out with a smile as Alice chuckled and nodded in agreement.

"Man I hate that guy he beat me at the try outs," Casper crossed his arms emphasizing his aggravation.

"You tried out to be the school mascot?" Claire asked curiously and surprised.

"I think the most surprising thing here is he lost," Jill commented with a roll of her eyes.

"Nah your wrong there," Casper turned to look at Jill and shook his head disappointedly, "I stood no chance of winning…I…I just don't have your flare Valentine." He grinned slipping in front of Claire to avoid strangulation by Jill.

"Claire!"

Claire turned to look around the large crowd as the mascots conversation halted causing everybody to look around for the screaming voice.

"Move, hey Claire!"

Claire turned once again to look around the crowded room before turning to face Alice and Jill who were both taller than her by a few inches, both giving shrugs of their shoulders in response to Claire's unasked question.

"Somebody shut that person up!" the mascot yelled out earning a cheer.

"Oh shut it Spikey!" Casper called out earning a cheer from the crowd.

"Why don't you shut it!" the mascot yelled back.

"Oh man this is going to be the best night ever," Carlos clapped his hands together as he continued watching Casper and the mascot yell at each other.

"Claire, phew," Rain breathed out a sigh of relief once she slipped through the squeezing crowd to the front where Claire was standing.

"You two ladies done?" the mascot asked with obvious annoyance.

"Just get to whatever point you have Spikey," Casper answered for Claire who was starting to get annoyed with the mascot.

"Stop calling me Spikey," the mascot retorted anger rising.

"This isn't going to lead anywhere good," Alice commented earning herself a 'You think' look from Claire.

"If by not going to lead anywhere good you mean a fight?" Jill waited for the nod in reply before looking towards the mascot and the annoying man, "Fight! Fight! Fight!" Jill cheered, egging the crowd into saying it as well.

"Go cry to your mommy," Casper replied.

"Least I don't lose a mascot contest!" the mascot yelled over the cheering.

"Oh that is it."

Alice watched in a split second as Casper sprinted forward before seeing and hearing the loud contact of Casper leaping up towards the mascot hitting the mascot in a football tackle taking himself and the mascot with him over the other side of the reception desk. The grimaces around the room could be seen showing that the loud contact and action wasn't only heard and seen by her but the rest of the room.

"Oooh that had to hurt," Carlos grimaced as he stepped up to the desk taking a peek over the other the top of the reception desk where Casper and the mascot had disappeared, "Everyone still alive?"

"I can't believe you actually football tackled the mascot," Claire chuckled as she spoke to Casper, "I mean seriously that look like it hurt."

"I'm a tough guy," Casper sarcastically spoke as he flexed in the paint ball armor earning a round of eye rolls as he fell back to walk alongside Jill.

Alice checked her paint ball gun for umpteenth time as she took small glances in Claire's direction without the redhead knowing. She had been assigned to be a team with Claire and honestly Alice had to swear there must have been a higher power involved or maybe…Alice glanced over towards Casper who was currently in yet another argument with Jill...nah there was no way he was involved in it, especially after being stuck with Jill.

"You think those two will ever stop?" Claire leant over to whisper to Alice unnoticed by Jill and Casper.

Alice shrugged, "Maybe."

Claire took a quick look around before speaking up, "Where's Carlos and Rain?"

"Well Carlos found the buffet and Rain I think she's…well she just disappeared." Alice shrugged turning to Claire's paint ball gun, "You set to go?" she nodded in the direction of the paintball weapon.

"Peachy perfect," Claire nodded answering just in time to hear the coordinator start to speak.

"Okay now remember rules are set in place to keep you guys and girls safe but the main rule is not to go outside the boundaries set up by the club, other than remembering the rules have you ladies and gentleman a fine time."

Claire nudged Alice's arm before turning to Jill and Casper, "Good luck you two, your gonna need it." She spoke confidently before walking away with a smiling Alice in tow leaving an annoyed Jill and a grinning Casper behind.

Alice dodged a paint ball splatter a split second before it impacted, a roll to the side allowed her to dodge yet another as she fired at two of her opponents eventually hitting the kill switch in there armor and sending them off the field. Claire sitting atop of a tree branch stealthily taking out as many people as possible, Alice spun taking cover behind a tree from the onslaught of bullets being fired at them from all angles, teams taking time to fire at one another at the same time – it really was all out war on the modern battlefield…just paintball style –.

Alice glanced up towards Claire making a few hand signs. One thing she was glad for was that Claire understood the hand signs and knew how to reply with them, it sure did beat calling out the plans to one another. Alice rolled to another tree dodging more incoming fire as she took cover behind a downed tree trunk. She had spotted Jill and Casper at separate occasions both becoming teams of one in their own minds, she had yet to see the black haired girl Rain since before the match began and well for Carlos she had seen him…everyone had seen him.

Alice let out a small chuckle remembering how Carlos had walked out into the Arklay Mountains forest looking for her while holding a buffalo wing and getting bombarded by loads of paint ball splatters which she was sure was going to leave him with bruises and pain for the next few days.

Alice leant over cover, firing at another two incoming opponents knocking them back a few steps as they took cover behind tree's more teams making their way over to the commotion. Alice heard a crunch of leaves behind her but before she could spin around the whistling sound and splatter of paint impacting the kill switch in the armor a few meters behind her echoed in her ears and quick look up towards the tree with the redhead in it gave her, her answer. It hadn't taken her long to figure out that Claire was really good at paint ball not to mention an ace shot, which made her think; if she hadn't been on Claire's team she was sure the redhead would have given her a run for her money.

"We need to fall back there's to man-"

Alice didn't hear the last part of the sentence as paint impacted Claire's armor and the redhead went tumbling out of the tree and too the ground with a large thud. Alice blind fired as she ran towards the tree Claire had fell out of, sliding along the ground to dodge the last few paint splatters and to reach the small distance that separated herself from Claire, "Claire!"

"Ugh," Claire groaned, "I'm fine they only hit my shoulder."

Alice rolled her eyes, "Any broken bones from the fall?"

"I've had worse," Claire shrugged but shook her head as a reply to Alice's question, "We need to get out of here we'll be surrounded soon."

Alice nodded helping Claire sit up, even brushing a few leaves of her armor for good measure, "This way I saw a great cover spot from the paint ball military depot." Alice gave Claire a gentle push forward motioning for the woman to go first as she followed quietly behind.

Alice followed Claire's movements to the exact detail before eventually halting Claire with a hand to her shoulder. They had to be extremely deep into the mountains by now since most of the foliage had become rather thick. "I think I see Jill," Alice pointed quietly as she whispered to Claire.

"Just leave her till last," Claire shook her head.

"In war there are no prisoners," Alice shook her head trying to convince Claire it was a good idea to shoot Jill when really shooting Jill wasn't the only satisfaction she'd get out of it.

"Alice!" Claire spoke sternly but when Alice's face fell disappointed and she made motion to continue on their original path, Claire stopped the sandy blonde with a hand, "Fine but I will not shoot my girlfriend."

Alice's mood perked up immediately at both the 'Fine' and declaration afterwards not so much the girlfriend part but the part where shooting Jill was left up to her, "No problem." Alice smirked kneeling down before aiming down her sights, taking careful aim as Claire watched on from beside her.

Jill hit the foliaged thick flooring beneath her before even remembering falling or the contact but a quick glance up at her and she had her answer, "What the fuck are you doing?" Jill made note to keep her voice down but made sure the young man on top of her heard her aggravation.

"Ssh, three o'clock, we got ourselves some company." Casper nodded down to Jill before rolling off the woman and taking cover behind a tree.

Jill followed suite wiping the dirt off her visor of her paint ball helmet, "Sure it came from three?"

"Positive."

"Damn it, I'll hand it to that man he's got some impressive reflexes," Alice pointed out as she pulled Claire behind cover knowing returning fire was bound to come.

Casper poked his head around the tree cover giving a once over of his surroundings before turning to Jill, "Look I don't care if you yell at me after this hell I'll even let you hit me just let's work together on this one okay?"

Jill thought this through for a second before nodding reluctantly – they'd never make it out alive if they didn't work together –.

"Awesome," Casper nodded before scanning the surroundings for the two targets he had been mostly interested in shooting the whole game.

"We know you're out there," Jill spoke up.

Alice reloaded another paint ball round into her gun before stepping out of the cover with Claire and both Jill and Casper, "I have to hand it to you Casper I didn't actually think you'd save her."

"I must say I gave it some consideration before leaping…not much but still some." Casper said as they stood face to face in a stand-off manner a sharp kick being delivered to his thin shin pads from Jill.

"Surrender now and you'll come out of this unscathed," Claire spoke up earning a nod from Alice.

"Don't count on it; you should know me Claire I never give up," Jill stated putting more meaning into the sentence then there should have been on a paint ball field.

"Well sometimes giving up isn't a bad thing, especially when you have no chance of winning," Alice retorted.

"Oh I have a chance of winning I've been around a lot longer," Jill replied back, now positive the other two knew the double meaning between the yelling match that was starting to erupt in the small stand-offish space.

"Yeah this is why sometimes people need something with just a little bit more new in it," Alice smirked as she answered back.

"You really want to do this Abernathy?" Jill made sure to use the last name to make a point that she was serious.

"I think the question here is whether or not you want to do this Valentine?" Alice repeated anger rising.

Alice couldn't exactly remember what happened all she knew was that after her sentence had left her mouth paint ball guns had hit the thick foliage beneath the group's feet and she was pushing Jill back as the other woman pushed her in reply, a pushing war breaking out.

"Ugh for some reason I don't think they were talking about paint ball," Casper grimaced as Claire's paint ball gun fired hitting him directly in the side as the pushing continued between the two women continued.

"You keep your hands off my girlfriend," Jill gave a sharp push for good measure.

"She isn't yours, she belongs to no one," Alice pushed Jill in return feeling both her temper and Jill's rising.

"That doesn't make her your girlfriend but does it?" Jill pushed once more.

Alice didn't know whether or not she had, had enough of the words or the fact that Jill's sentence about Claire being her girlfriend instead of Alice's made her do what she did. Alice took a swing but the swing was easily ducked as her knee was halted from its destination of the other woman's ribs before being pushed and sweeping legs made their way underneath her own feet, barely jumping to avoid Jill's legs.

"Aren't you going to do something?" Claire turned to face Casper who was now standing there staring at his gloved hand enthusiastically.

"Why me? They're not fighting over me."

Claire rolled her eyes before waving her hand about as the two women continued to fight, "Cause you're the guy, I don't know I heard somewhere you guys were supposed be helpful and if you don't I'll shoot you in a spot I'm sure will cause a lot of damage or at least hurt a lot…tell me Casper do you ever want kids?"

Casper gulped before quickly moving towards the two women quickly stepping in between them, "Ladies let's be…" Casper quickly ducked avoiding the two fists nearly colliding with his face as a kick from one of the women landed between his legs leaving him to fall over in agony and Claire to face palm.

"Oh god," Claire stepped over the groaning man before moving towards the two women, "Stop it both of you!"

Alice ducked yet another swing before jabbing Jill in the mid section just as kick to her own ribs from the other woman was well received. She was sure the punch to the nose from earlier had either broken Jill's nose or popped it out of place and she was almost positive she could feel bruises growing on her own body as well as taste the coppery feeling off blood in her mouth.

Jill roundhouse kicked Alice knocking the woman to the floor but before she could deliver anymore attacks she found herself with legs locked around her own as she was roughly forced to the ground.

Alice was quick to get on top of Jill and lay punches to the woman before she was roughly flipped over and the punches were being laid to her. Alice flipped but instead of spinning to repeat her previous action Jill had scuttled away and got back to her feet leaving Alice to do the exact same thing. Alice barely had time to duck as the paint ball gun itself swung over her head colliding with the tree and shattering it into pieces, leaving Alice's mind to wonder for a split second what would have happened if that had have been her face.

Jill picked up the second paint ball gun shooting Alice a few times, enough to distract the woman so she could get yet another punch in as she ducked an incoming one.

Alice was losing ground and she knew it, she was getting dizzy and fast, she had to end this with the other woman. Quickly, sharply and sneakily Alice swung knowing the woman would pop back up to her original position after ducking, so after swinging Alice delivered a stead-fast roundhouse kick using as much force and strength as she could muster up behind it.

Jill dropped to the ground heaving and spitting out the blood that had filled her mouth, she took a few deep breaths before standing up once again ready to face the woman once more but before she could deliver any offensive blows Claire stepped in between herself and Alice.

"Both of you cut it out! You're going to kill each other!"

Alice looked at the bleeding nose, mouth and ears of Jill's and could feel her own bleeding. No matter how much she wanted to continue beating Jill senseless, she knew if either of them didn't stop someone was bound to wound up in hospital…or worse.

"I'll stop once she realizes that you're with me and not her."

Claire shook her head before looking between the two, "At this rate I'm thinking about dropping both of you and going out with Mr. Squeaky down there." Claire thumbed back towards the ground where Casper was still lying in agony.

Alice leant around Claire to get a better look, "What happened?"

"One of you two kicked him."

"You okay?" Jill asked with some concern in her voice.

"Fine," Casper squeaked back.

Claire shook her head before turning back to face the two women in front of her, "Jill go sit over there, Alice you over there." Claire pointed to opposite sides of the thick clearing that had been used as a fight ring, "Now!" she yelled not taking any more of it as they both complied doing what they were told as she turned back to the man on the ground with a grimace, "Well on the plus at least I didn't shoot you there."

Jill looked up before accepting the clean handkerchief of the young man who had wet it with the remainder of his canteen, "How's…" she paused figuring out how to word what she was going to say, "Everything?" Jill asked cautiously as she dabbed her puffing right red eye.

"Well any girl who ends up with me is going to have to accept the fact that I ain't having children," he smiled shifting slightly to get rid of the small amount of pain he was still feeling, "And I think the toilet is off limits for a while so no liquid drinks."

Jill laughed at that, "By the way I think I may have been the one to kick you."

"I always knew you wanted to," Casper nodded laughing along with Jill.

"Are you crazy?" Claire asked keeping her voice in a whisper as she dabbed Alice's puffing left eye, "Jill has a black belt in Ju Jitsu, Taekwondo and Karate you could have gotten yourself killed."

"So you do care?" Alice questioned as she looked up towards Claire her right eye starting to puff.

"Of course I care," Claire lowered her voice a lot more as she spoke before lowering the first wet handkerchief she had managed to take from Casper, "Look I'm not sure what I feel for you but in the end it comes down to me and Jill being together okay, I care a lot a hell of a lot about her." She finished before raising the handkerchief to Alice's cut lip.

Alice grabbed Claire's wrist halting the movements, "If you care more so about her than me…" Alice paused shifting slightly so she could get better look at Claire, "Why are you here caring for me and not her?" Alice watched as Claire wrecked her brain for a response and when none came Alice had her answer, "I care about you Claire a lot and when I say a lot I mean more than a hell of a lot."

Claire shook her head, "I'm with Ji-" Claire's sentence was suspended mid sentence when soft yet cut and bruised lips met her own in a quick but tender kiss conveying all of Alice's emotion that Claire was positive she could only get through in such a small and quick kiss.

Alice pulled away just as quickly as she had done it being in-experienced with such thing left her mind to wander whether or no she had done it right, "I won't stop fighting for you, because Jill isn't the only one who doesn't give up." Alice stood up making her way back to the clearing leaving Claire still sitting beside the fallen tree trunk in thought.

Jill stood up the moment Alice's entered the clearing, to say she was defensive about the woman was an understatement, she loathed the woman. "Where's Claire?"

"Here," Claire gave a small wave before making her way over to Jill, "How are you feeling?"

"Fine but I think this game is over for us," Jill smiled slightly towards Claire, "We should head back." Jill watched as Claire smiled slightly before moving off in one direction with Alice moving off in another, "It's this way." Jill pointed watching as the other woman stood her ground.

"No it's this way," Alice thumbed behind her.

"Casper," Claire spoke up worriedly that maybe another fight may erupt.

"Shoot me now Claire, save me the trouble of having to walk all the way over there." Casper shook his head as he picked up the shattered pieces of the paint ball gun that had left an indent in the tree it had been smashed into.

"Casper which way is out?" Claire asked turning to face Casper as hands of the three women fell on hips as they awaited a reply.

"Err…" Casper paused, "Rule one never follow male directions."

**I'd like to mention action scenes play out a whole lot better in my head. Also I'd like to thank WhatHurtsMeMost for directing me to the very first Resident Evil on YouTube I'll get around to watching it eventually. In the next Chapter however the group gets a little more than they bargained for but hope you enjoyed this chapter. **


	11. The Catalyst

**Hey guy's thanks for the reviews I love reading what you people have to say and those reviews really make my day. I just finished watching the very first Resident Evil on YouTube and I just brought Resident Evil: Degeneration which is pretty damn good I may add. Although not a huge Leon fan video game or movie sorry to disappoint those of you who are. Anyway hope you guys enjoy this chapter, once again action scenes appear better in my mind.**

_God bless us everyone  
>We're a broken people living under loaded gun<br>And it can't be outfought  
>It can't be outdone<br>It can't be outmatched  
>It can't be outrun<em>  
><em><strong>Linkin Park – The Catalyst<strong>_

**XXX**

"Were lost," Jill commented from beside Casper.

"I told you not to follow my directions." Casper stated shrugging as he pushed a few more tree branches out the way.

"Ugh can you do anything right?" Jill turned to Casper.

Claire rolled her eyes as yet another argument broke out between the two. She turned to look at Alice who had been by her side for the most part of the walk but had yet to say anything. "You have any idea where we are?"

Alice shook her head, "I have no idea where I am when I'm in the city what makes you think I'd know out here?"

Claire nodded before looking around her surroundings, "Which ways East?"

Alice shrugged, "Forgot my compass." Alice said sarcastically with a smile.

"Sarcasm gets us nowhere," Claire said with a small smile in Alice's direction.

Alice pushed past Casper and Jill continuing to walk ahead, eventually they'd find some sort of civilization if not well…then they knew they were going the wrong way. Alice paused stopping herself and anyone else from going further once she entered a small clearing with a large mansion like house stationed in the middle.

"Not the best place to put a mansion," Claire commented stepping up beside Alice before giving a shrug, "Let's see if anyone's home if where lucky we could get directions."

Casper placed a hand on Claire's shoulder pulling her back and halting her move towards the mansion, "Let's take this one step at a time okay?"

"I'm with Casper, considering where out in the middle of nowhere." Alice finished while looking over the creepy mansion architect.

"How's about we take a peek if anyone's home?" Jill offered up before making her way over to the mansion quietly, deciding not to wait for a reply.

"I don't like this; I think we should turn back." Casper spoke up earning a smirk from Claire.

"Don't tell me you're scared?"

"Why is it that whenever someone says that something bad usually happens around the next corner," Casper raised his eyebrows towards Claire.

"You guys coming?" Alice waved as she followed after Jill who was slowly closing in on the side of the mansion.

Jill rounded the side of the mansion jumping small fences and making her way through large hedges that blocked the majority of view.

Claire grabbed the back of Alice's shirt as they made their way through the large hedges, "If we get lost I'm so kicking your ass." Claire stated in a sharp whisper.

"Ouch damn hedges," Casper rubbed his elbow as he followed the women through the hedges, "Remind me why I listen to you three."

Jill rounded yet another hedge before making her way through a large well cared for garden before flattening herself out against the side of the mansion. Jill waited for the other three occupants to follow in tow before making her way along the wall flat against it.

Alice followed closely behind still in agony over the previous fight with Jill but still just the thought of knowing Claire cared for her was enough to stop the majority of the pain.

"We got a window up ahead," Jill whispered to the group behind her before making her way over to the window crouching just underneath it as she tried opening it.

"Okay now this is just breaking and entering," Casper shook his head, "Not a good thing to have on your record."

"Come on," Jill turned back to the other three as she pulled open the window, "We've come this far might as well go the whole way."

Alice gave a shrug of her shoulders, climbing in through the window after Jill had pulled herself up and inside.

"Please tell me you at least have brains?" Casper turned to look towards Claire who gave a shrug in response before climbing up and inside the first floor of the mansion, "Of course not look who I was asking…why am I talking to myself?" Casper sighed climbing up and inside the mansion.

"Whoa look at this place," Jill whispered to the occupants behind her as she exited the room with the window they had climbed in through and started up the long hallway.

"Who do think lives here?" Alice asked from the middle of the group as she ran her eyes over the hallway.

Claire picked up a wedding photo on the hallway table before looking up and showing the other three occupants, "Little young don't you think?"

"Maybe they inherited the place," Casper shrugged picking up another wedding photo with a blonde lady in it standing next to a young looking man.

"Let's keep looking," Jill piped up as she made her way down the hall.

Alice watched as Casper shook his head but reluctantly followed after Jill. Alice hung back a little waiting for Claire to stop looking at the picture, "Something the matter?"

Claire looked up towards Alice before glancing back down at the picture, with a shake of her head she replied. "Nope it's all good…I think," Claire smiled up at Alice placing the photo back down on the table before following Jill and Casper down the hall with herself and Alice bringing up the rear.

"You okay?" Alice asked quietly as to not have Jill listen in.

"Fine," Claire gave a small smile to Alice.

"If you want to get out of here just say so."

"No it's not that…it's just," Claire paused figuring out how to word what she wanted to say, eventually deciding against it, "Nevermind let's just keep moving."

"Bedroom's now?" Casper asked Jill once she had opened up a door leading to a large – probably main bedroom – that was pretty bland looking.

"Well my apologies I don't have a map to the chocolate factory," Jill rolled her eyes as she scanned the room; "You'd think a bedroom would have more flare to it."

Claire shrugged as she made her way through the room, "Little weird don't you think, this mansion isn't on any map I've ever seen of Raccoon City."

Alice moved over towards a dresser draw and pulled it open, "Is it just me or does this sound hollow?" She asked the young man standing somewhat behind her as she tapped away at the draw before shuffling through it.

"Okay you people just get weirder," Casper rolled his eyes focusing on the draw Alice was shuffling through.

Alice reached the bottom of the draw and with one quick motion she grabbed the corner of the bottoms edge and pulled it up leaving only a glass frame full of guns left behind. "Well that's new," Alice commented earning yet another roll of Casper's eyes as she turned to face them. "Maybe your right and we should get out of here," Alice shoved the bottom board of the draw back in as quickly as possible before shutting the draw all together.

"You think?"

Jill nodded agreeing once she had pulled open a draw with weapons in it no draw boards in place, "That doesn't sound like a bad idea." She thumbed towards the door grabbing Claire and pulling the redhead along with her.

"As I said it's just for a few months."

Alice halted at the male voice but being in the middle of the hallway was no definitely not the place to be hanging around, so with a quick glance around, Alice yanked open a door before pulling the other occupants inside. "Quiet," Alice put her finger to her lips motioning for them to remain quiet.

"Your few months turn into years Spence."

Claire remained rooted to the ground until the male and female voices disappeared into the distance their voices fading the further they got away, "Why are we hiding again?"

"Because this is Umbrella property."

Claire jumped and spun around hitting the occupant who had scared her in the shoulder, "Rain you mind not sc-" Claire paused for a split second, "Wait what are you doing here?"

"Well I got lost during the paint ball thing and stumbled across this mansion," Rain waved her hand about, "So on and so on and what happened to you two?" Rain pointed at Jill and Alice.

"They got into a fight over Claire," Casper shrugged earning glares from the three women, "Oops."

Rain shook her head dramatically, "Doesn't matter we have to get out of here."

"Where's the fire?" Jill asked slightly worried by the fact Rain's voice seemed almost urgent.

Rain took a moment to think this through before shaking her head once more, "Look I'll tell you all about it later but right now we have to get out of here be-" Rain's sentence was cut off by voices outside the door once again.

"Lock down the perimeter and make sure no one gets in or out."

"They could be long gone by now."

"I don't care just do it."

"Uh crap," Casper reached down to the door handle giving the small lock a little twist as the door handle turned.

"I'm guessing that's not good news," Alice spoke up sarcastically as the door started rattling.

"Move!" the female voice ordered from the opposite side of the door.

"Get ready to run," Casper spoke before unlocking the door and slamming it open with a loud bang as it impacted the two occupants on the other side causing them to stumble back into one another. "Run!" Casper called back before making his way down the hall and down the flight of stairs.

"Spencer call security," the female occupant ordered the man before getting back to her feet and running down the hallway.

"Freeze!"

Alice spun around once she reached the base of the stairs that lead to a doorway between the stair room and the lounge room. Alice focused her attention on the group of Umbrella logoed security officers that resembled the group she had only seen a couple of days beforehand at Casper's place but this time well armed with shotguns and assault rifles and their little side arms – not exactly inviting –.

"Wow now that's what I call instantaneous back-up," Casper finished sarcastically as glares were shot his way.

Claire glanced down at her watch and took a quick glance out the window as the female occupant of the voice from before finally reached the base of the stairs. So familiar. Yet so different. Claire shook her head now was no time to contemplate.

"Don't move," she held out her hand to the group before retracting the hand, "On the ground!"

"This may be stupid but I think I got an idea," Claire piped in with a whisper as she stood in the door way between the stair room and lounge room, ignoring the familiarity of the female voice.

"Well right now I'm game with stupid," Casper retorted.

Alice watched in the corner of her eye as Claire reached over flicking of the light switch off pitching the lounge room and stair room into complete darkness, she waited all but a few seconds, giving her eyes only a short time to adjust to the sudden change – now was definitely a good time to get out – Alice reached over grabbing hold of Claire's arm before dragging her along with her, past the security and up the stairs.

"You'd think that a bunch of Umbrella security wouldn't be so stupid," Rain piped in once Casper and Jill had jarred the door with a dresser.

"That's not going to hold them long," Jill stated already hearing a pair of footfalls making their way up the stairs and towards the door.

Alice pushed the window open before leaning outside into the growing dark cold air, "Once we make it to the ground we need to make a break for it."

"No there are vehicles around the front of the property," Rain shook her head as she spoke, "All we need to do is find some keys."

"Good luck with that," Casper rolled his eyes taking a look out the window for himself, "Long way down."

"I can hotwire it," Claire piped in.

"Good," Alice managed to finish as the door and dresser jolted.

"Well I'm not waiting any longer," Rain spoke up before moving to the window and pulling herself up and onto the frame, "Well here goes." Rain jumped from the window dropping to the ground below with a roll.

Alice turned to the door as it was booted roughly open leaving the dresser to scratch loudly against the floor boards. It was instinct Alice would swear by that as the loud bang and whistle from a bullet leaving its cartridge and sailing through the air to its target could be heard. Alice swore time slowed down as she watched the bullet sail towards her splicing through the air at tremendous speeds before halting its movement bare inches from her head.

Alice focused her complete attention on the suspended bullet watching as it hovered in mid air. She could feel more than see the looks of surprise she was getting from the other occupants including the female Umbrella security officer whose bullet it belonged to and to tell the truth she herself was surprised. Alice almost on instinct again dropped the bullet leaving it to make a small clattering noise once it hit the floor before turning to face the dresser and by some unknown power drove the dresser into the female security officer hearing only a small squeak due to scratching. The dresser impaling the female security officer into the white painted wall.

Casper shook his head snapping himself out of it first before turning to Jill and Claire, "We have to go."

Jill nodded snapping herself out of it before dragging Claire to the window, making her jump first before launching herself out the window.

"Go," Alice called back suspending the dresser against the abdomen of the Umbrella security officer. She was grateful when no resistance came and he clambered out the window leaving her to back up against it as she heard pairs and pairs of footfalls closing in. Alice released whatever hold she had on the dresser before launching herself out the window landing with a sideways roll to break her fall.

Jill held out a hand to Alice who gave a small smile and took the offered hand with no hesitancy, Jill pulling the woman up with ease. She might hate Alice to bits and pieces but now was not the time to hold grudges, "We need to keep moving."

Rain waved a hand over to where she was standing with her back against the brick wall, "There's four vehicles in total, two being private flashy vehicles the other two being Umbrella Hummer security vehicles." Rain relayed once the group had reached her and flattened their backs against the wall.

Claire leant around the corner noting the four vehicles in total and the Umbrella security officers guarding the front of the mansion, while flashlights lit the rest of the garden indicating security was looking for them, "Hold on a second," Claire turned to face Casper, "Doesn't your uncle like own Umbrella?"

"Point being?" he questioned with a raised eyebrow.

"Point being…why don't you just tell them who you are?"

"I don't think these people are the reasonable type," Casper replied.

"It doesn't matter now, all we know is there shooting on sight." Alice spoke up leaning around Claire to lean around the corner, "This is serious guys we could get shot."

"What are you talking about? We should be dragging your dead body around right now." Jill spoke up finally allowing the curiosity to get to her.

"What?" Rain asked now curious as to why the woman should be dead.

"Look I can't explain wha-"

"Forget it, right now we need out of here and the only way out looks to be by vehicle." Casper pointed over to where torches where skimming over forest and garden land.

"Mascot mans right," Rain nodded leaning around Alice and Claire to lean around the corner, "Question is how?"

"Hold up," Jill whispered sharply shutting the group up as the security woman made her way down the front steps.

"Let them go."

"Major Cain has just given us orders to find them and shoot on sight."

"Their teenagers Spencer, fucking teenagers you can't shoot teenagers."

"As head of security you will shoot when ordered to Miss Abernathy."

"Miss Abernathy?" Jill turned to face Alice for an explanation earning nothing but a shrug of the woman's shoulders.

"Look it doesn't matter right now," Claire replied for Alice instead, "We have to grab a vehicle and move like lightning."

"Excellent plan," Casper nodded, "Any ideas how we do that?"

Rain slid silently along the cars exterior body, Casper to her right and Claire to her left. "Door opens?"

Claire reached up pulling on the door handle until it popped open, "Were good to go, when Alice and Jill are ready."

Rain nodded relaying the information back to the young man behind her.

Jill fiddled with a metallic weapons case trying to find a way to break the lock but having no success, "Damn thing won't open," Jill gave a tug on the lock barely moving out the way as a fire axe skimmed down past her impacting the lock and breaking it in two.

Alice threw the fire axe to the side before squatting down removing broken pieces of lock before pushing open the weapon case, "Okay I think that's a smoke grenade." Alice said pointing at cylinder like canister.

"Think?" Jill questioned with a raised eyebrow.

"I'm no weapon specialist," Alice shrugged her shoulders, "Plus it has M18 Smoke written on it." Alice shrugged once again grabbing two gas grenades and handing them over to Jill before grabbing two for herself.

"Okay so how are these going to help?" Jill questioned looking down at the smoke grenades in her hand, "Their wearing helmets."

"Helmets not gas masks," Alice clarified as she shut the weapons case lid before moving back to the window they had used to climb in through.

"Still the same thing," Jill followed closely behind Alice, "And these aren't gas grenades anyway."

"One motor cycle helmets have small openings at the base for the occupant inside to breathe and second we only want to blind them temporarily not suffocate them or knock them unconscious." Alice clarified once again as she leant around the corner looking for any sign of the other three occupants.

"Shouldn't we use a flash bang then?" Jill asked slightly curious as to how Alice knew all of this.

"No you see this will create a veil of smoke blinding them but not blinding, blinding them." Alice waved her hands about, "Flash bangs temporarily blind eye sight, smoke grenades are temporary but a little longer temporary, they mask the environment blinding the area around the target not the target itself…don't ask how I know."

Jill rolled her eyes knowing she wouldn't get an answer even if she did, "So how do we know when their ready."

"Wait for it." Alice watched as Casper leant around the vehicle and gave quick thumbs up towards them before leaning back around the vehicle. "Throw them in different spots and then make a break for the Hummer."

Jill nodded leaning around the corner of the mansion and pulling the pin on the smoke grenade before rolling it gently but forcefully towards the front steps where the mysterious Miss Abernathy and young man from the wedding photo plus a few security guards were standing.

"Shit, there still here!"

Jill flinched slightly as the grenade exploded and veil of thick purple smoke filtered the atmosphere, "Purple?" she turned to ask Alice who gave yet another shrug for the day. Turning back Jill hurtled the last of hers before turning to Alice who hurtled hers towards another group watching as it erupted in a veil of blue smoke. It wasn't until Alice pulled the pin and froze did Jill actually start getting frustrated however. "What?"

"Oh crap."

"What?"

Alice looked up towards Jill who was standing beside her awaiting an answer, "I pulled out a frag grenade."

"You what?" she almost yelled at the other woman but lowered her tone, "Fuck it, throw it and let's move." Jill motioned for Alice to launch it before running towards the Umbrella Hummer that had just started up.

Alice did as told and tossed the grenade into the blue veiled smoke before running. Once she reached the Hummer she heard the loud explosion of the fragmentation grenade exploding. Alice jumped inside the passenger side of the vehicle, Jill jumping in the back just as the vehicle took off.

"What the hell was that?" Rain asked popping up between the two front seats where Claire was driving and Alice was heaving for oxygen.

"A frag grenade," Jill answered for the other woman.

"Shit," Casper swore as he pulled down Rain's backseat and shuffled through the trunk.

"What?" Claire asked looking up into the rear view mirror just as the Hummer was rammed in the back sending them jolting forward slightly, "Fuck Umbrella just don't know when to give up."

"Why the fuck is Umbrella even trying to kill us in the first place?" Jill asked watching as Casper continued shuffling through the trunk pulling out files of paper.

Claire watched as the enemy Umbrella Hummer pulled up alongside their Hummer, "Who gives a shit," Claire answered yanking the steering wheel to the left giving the enemy Umbrella Hummer a ram to the side before earning one in response.

"I've got an idea," Casper said before leaning back and picking up the files of paper as well as the flares he had managed to find.

"You may want to hurry because there's two more Umbrella vehicles coming up behind," Claire said urgently as she rammed the side of the first Umbrella vehicle a second time earning yet another ram herself.

Casper nodded scrunching up paper before pressing the button below the vehicle door handle winding down the window before hurtling the paper out the window and watching it get carried away by the wind. "Okay, I need something heavy to weight it down so the wind don't carry it."

Alice popped open the glove compartment, pulling out what looked to be a nine-millimeter, "What about a bullet?"

"Yeah that could work," Casper nodded and watched as Alice ejected the nine-millimeter's clip and went to work on extracting the bullet before handing them over one at a time to him.

"What could you possibly do with a piece of paper and a flare?" Rain asked watching as he wrapped paper around three bullets, giving it some weight.

"MacGyvering our way out of this situation," Casper smiled towards Rain before hurtling the weighted paper out the window watching as it landed on the wipers at the base of the windscreen. Casper picked up a flare, pulling of the top and watching as it sparked to life before throwing it out the window towards the paper.

Alice took notice of the paper catching a light from the flare before smoke started clouding the windscreen of the opponent Umbrella Hummer, leaves having gathered up in the grooves causing the smoke to turn black. "Claire ram them again."

Claire did as told and yanked the steering wheel once more to the left ramming the Hummer causing it spill of the side of the road and into a ditch, "One down two to go."

"Gotcha," Casper nodded from the back readying to work on a second paper ball. Casper lost his grip on the flares and papers as their Hummer was jolted forward knocking the flare's all over the vehicle flooring and under seats, "Shit I can't find them in the dark."

"Use something else and quickly."

Casper ducked back inside the trunk shuffling around for anything of use before backing out pulling a large weapon with him.

"We are not using a rocket launcher," Claire shook her head taking a glance off the large weapon in the rear view mirror.

"You got a better idea Claire?" Casper called back looking in the rear view mirror where Claire was looking at him.

"You'll kill them." Claire shook her head, "We can't murder them."

"It's them or us," Casper leant out the wound down window placing the rocket launcher on his shoulder, "Steady." Casper called out from the outside of the Hummer as he aimed the rocket launcher.

Claire watched in the rear view mirror deciding whether or not to aid in the current happenings. Shaking her head Claire decided against it, whether or not Umbrella were trying to kill them using a rocket launcher was just out of the question a bullet was okay but there was no need to take the whole entire street with them. Claire slammed her foot down on the brake pedal before yanking the steering wheel to the right doing a rounded skid, causing the vehicle to turn sharply onto the main road.

Casper dropped the rocket launcher out the window at the sudden jolt and quickly slid back in the Hummer turning to look at Claire, "What the hell was that for?"

"Just shut up and figure out another way to deal with them," Claire commented as she continued driving trying her best to avoid the oncoming onslaught.

Alice ducked instinctually once bullets impacted the back window shattering it into millions of pieces, "Fuck sake." Alice leant out the shattered window that had been smashed when the first Umbrella Hummer had started ramming them. Alice loaded another clip into the nine-millimeter before firing at the Umbrella Hummer.

"So shooting them is okay?" Casper asked sarcastically.

"As long as it doesn't take the fucking road with it," Claire said aggravated and frustrated at the Umbrella Hummer's ramming her vehicle.

Alice fired the remainder of the clip at the vehicle but failed to hit any of the Umbrella Security Officers inside as rain started pouring down around them causing the tires to bring up mud and gravel in the wet environment. Alice dropped back inside the Hummer not before dropping the nine-millimeter to the wet graveled road.

Casper turned to face the second Umbrella Hummer just in time to see an Umbrella Security personnel lean out of the passenger window rocket-launcher on his shoulder and trained at the vehicle, "Err Claire…"

"What?" she ground out between gritted teeth.

"Wanna try telling them that?" Casper spun around towards Claire who was nearing the Arklay Mountains Bridge.

"Fuck," Claire swore swerving the car to the right barely missing the rocket and explosion once it impacted the ground. "Shit," Claire swore once again as she swerved a second time dodging the second incoming rocket.

"Their coming up on your sides Claire!" Rain yelled over the pounding of the rain.

Claire took a glance in her side mirror watching as the two opponent Hummers split each bringing up the sides of her Hummer, "This isn't going well."

"No need to mention the obvious Claire," Casper stated turning to Jill, "You got any smoke grenades left?"

Jill shook her head, "Nope only had two."

"Great."

Alice watched as the ramming began before turning to Claire, "Hit the brakes."

Claire once again did as she was told and slammed her foot down on the brake pedal stopping the Hummer point blank while causing the other two opponent Hummers to ram each other in a failed attempt at ramming her.

"Don't stall keep driving Claire," Alice spoke once they rounded yet another corner, the Arklay Mountain Bridge now in full view.

"Damn it their dropping back," Jill called back once the Umbrella vehicle's returned to the side of their Hummer.

"I got an idea hang on," Claire slammed her foot once again down on the brake pedal sending her backwards and the other Hummers forward before she yanked on the steering wheel taking the Hummer and all its occupants through the guard rail and plummeting into the lake below.

**And there we have it although Umbrella may not be full time yet this will start up an interest for our heroes as to why Umbrella was trying to kill them and why there's somebody named Miss Abernathy. I also want you to know the songs I use at the start I listen to while writing the chapter. I don't mind hearing your guys hypotheses on where I plan to take this story so feel free to tell if you want to. Hope you guy's enjoyed, next chapter up in a few hours…hopefully if not it'll be up tomorrow.**


	12. Something Too Hide

**Hey if you guys haven't already. Check out my new story it's going to have a good twist to it. Don't worry I'm not abandoning this one as this has to be one of my favorites. Also like to thank my reviewers without you guys it would take longer to post.**

_You've got something to hide,  
><em>_That you're not telling me,  
><em>_You got something to hide,  
><em>_I know  
><em>_**Journey – Something Too Hide**_

**XXX**

Alice coughed furiously bringing up water that had been lodged in her airways, "Claire!" She coughed out hoarsely as she dragged herself up the beach to where Casper and Rain where on their hands and knees coughing furiously themselves, "Where's Claire?" She asked coughing yet again.

"Over here!" Claire yelled waving towards Alice and the others as she dragged Jill out of the water and up the beach far enough to just get out of the swell. Claire dropped down next to Jill coughing only slightly as she looked at the motionless body of Jill's.

Alice made her way over to Claire and Jill Casper and Rain towing along behind while still coughing up water. The moment Alice reached the two she noticed the lack of motion from the older woman.

"She's not breathing," Claire stated before placing the heel of her hand on the sternum of Jill's and giving firm presses before tilting her head up and holding Jill's nose closed before breathing into her mouth and repeating the actions, "Two, three," Claire counted as she continued, "Damn it Jill wake up!"

Alice watched as Claire continued the CPR. She thought all hope's in reviving the woman was lost until the coughing fit and the rush of water hitting the ground made its way to her ears. Looking down she found Jill on her side water pouring out of her mouth as she tried to get her breath back and clear her lungs of water.

Claire unbelievably happy pulled Jill up and towards her giving the woman a tight bear hug that only seemed to tighten with every passing second, still it didn't go un-returned as Jill wrapped her own arms around Claire hugging the woman just as tightly as Claire was.

Alice glanced away before moving over towards the water's edge – Jill surviving or not the jealousy still sparked –. Alice looked over the moonlit lake that they had found themselves in and thankfully was rather deep, so deep in fact that Alice could honestly swear that the Umbrella Hummer was lost for good. A look up at the bridge and guard rail they had crashed through she could see the small light of head lights for a few more moments before the rev of engines and motors disappeared into the growing dark.

Jill coughed once more feeling Claire eventually pull away from the hug. She glanced around at her present company.

"Guess you really don't give up easily," Casper got out sarcastically even between coughs.

"I've had worse," Jill shrugged, "Not much worse but still worse."

Claire got to her feet and made her way over to Alice, "You okay?"

Alice nodded short but to the point, "I think my mom's going to be pissed I was supposed to be home before midnight."

Claire laughed giving a small nudge to Alice's arm before turning back to where Jill was being helped up by Casper, "We should start walking it's going to be a long night."

"Look on the bright side," Casper spoke up taking of his soaked jacket that still had warmth in it before draping it over Rain who was starting to shiver, "We don't have to go to school tomorrow."

Jill couldn't resist, especially after everything that had happened today. Raising her hand she hit Casper up the back of the head watching as the man groaned and rubbed the back of his head in an attempt to rid himself off the pain, "Which way?"

"And no one ask Casper," Alice pointed out earning a nod from both Claire and Jill while Casper frowned.

"We'll take the road from the bridge it should lead us to Raven's Gate Bridge and finally into Raccoon City." Jill pointed up at the bridge that was up a rather steep looking hill.

"Does it have to be all the way up there?" Casper groaned out as he pointed towards the steep hill.

"Well then I guess carrying me up it is out of the question," Rain sighed out as she started the difficult climb upwards still coughing every now and then, Casper following behind her and Alice, Claire and Jill bringing up the rear.

Alice eventually reached the top making sure Claire and the other's made it up first. She was sore from the fight, she was sore from the running, she was sore from plunging into the Arklay Lake, she was sore from whatever she had did to stop the bullet…god she was just sore.

"So…" Rain dragged out as they started up the road.

"Who feels like pizza?" Casper asked cheerfully. Big smile in place as everyone stared unbelievably in his direction, "It's on me."

Jill shook her head with a sigh before nodding towards Rain. "Now care to share what happened back at the mansion?"

"What do you mean you were there," Rain answered with a squint.

"No you said that you'll tell us something later and considering we have about an hour or more walk in ahead of us, I think you can start talking."

"Look all I heard was that guy talking to somebody about something called the Tyrant and something about that new product Umbrella's got coming out." Rain said with a shrug of her shoulders, "Oh and that the product will earn him about one-two million dollars per Tyrant tube." Rain shook her head, "Whatever the fuck that is."

"Tyrant and Regenerate are the same thing," Casper turned to Rain, demeanor now serious. "What else did he say?"

"Nothing that Abernathy woman walked in and that's it he hung up and was acting all weird, even she called him out on it." Rain shrugged once again before yawning.

Alice squinted carefully at Casper who now appeared fully in concentration, "What do mean by Regenerate and Tyrant are the same?"

Casper snapped out of his thoughts and turned to look over his shoulder back at Alice. "There's still so little you know about Umbrella."

"You've been saying that a lot and I want to know what's going on. I think you know more about why Umbrella was shooting at us then you let on." Alice stopped in the middle of the road halting everybody else's movements.

"You're on a need to know bases," Casper turned to face her. Arms crossed across his chest.

Alice took a forceful step forward grabbing the collar of the young man's tightly. Casper's hands snapping to Alice's wrist immediately, "Well I need to know."

"Let go of me."

Alice felt the tightening of the young man's hands around her wrists and didn't miss the fire in his eyes – was it from her grabbing him? Or was it something else entirely? – either way Alice did as told and released the man's collar taking a step back.

Claire stepped in between the two. Facing Casper she spoke, "Look if you know more about this it'd be best for all of us if you share."

Casper shook his head at Claire, "Stay away from Umbrella."

"It sounds like you have something to hide," Alice pointed out keeping a close on eye on Claire.

Casper turned his attention to Alice once again, "We all have something to hide Alice." With that he continued down the street in an all too casual stroll.

Claire shook her head, "Look let's just forget about it for now, get home and get some rest." Claire turned following after the young man, "God I can't believe I'm saying this but I wish we had school tomorrow."

Alice took the last remaining steps up her street Claire beside her and Jill on the other side of Claire. It had taken them forty-five minutes to reach Ravens gate and another hour and twenty minutes to get home and right now Alice had to admit she was exhausted and by the way Jill casually continued on without even bothering to get annoyed with the fact Claire wasn't following. The woman had to be too.

"I think I'm going insane." Claire piped up once Jill entered the house and she could here Chris's worried voice from inside.

"Mind if I ask why?" Alice turned to Claire with a smile.

"The whole trip over here I spent considering going to the school tomorrow and pleading for Mr. Boshck to revoke the suspension."

Alice moved a hand to Claire's forehead, "I think you may be sick." She said with an even bigger smile and humor in her tone.

Claire smiled and lowered her head to her feet, "Well good night Alice. See you tomorrow?" Claire asked looking up at Alice.

Alice gave a nod, giving a quick look around more to make sure Jill wasn't watching before leaning in a giving Claire a small peck on the cheek with a larger smile that had to be splitting her face by now. "You can count on it."

Claire smiles went wider before she nodded and moved towards her house.

Alice waited till Claire was inside before turning to look up at her own house – Oh she was in for shit when she got inside and she knew it – but with a sigh Alice pushed open the small white picket fence gate and started up the path to the front door. Alice barely reached the door before it was swung open and Carlos was dragging her inside.

"Where the hell have you been?" Carlos asked aggravated, "I walked for over two hours to get home an hour of that getting lost."

Alice rolled her eyes – Carlos got lost no matter where he was – "For your information I had to walk home to."

"Either way mom is going to kill you," Carlos thumbed over his shoulder to the kitchen, "She's in there and she's not happy."

Alice nodded and brushed past Carlos taking a deep intake of air before rounding the archway corner into the kitchen, "I'm home mom." Alice said as cheerfully as she could.

"It's half past one in the morning, where have you been?"

Alice thought through her mother's question. As far she saw it she had two option. One; she could tell her the truth. And Two; she could lie. With a shrug Alice sat down at the kitchen table, "I lost track of time."

"You lost track of time?" Cassandra asked her daughter with a raised eyebrow.

"Yeah," Alice smiled innocently.

"So all those bruises you got from Paint ball huh?"

Alice grimaced – she had completely forgot about those – "Err…not exactly."

"What do you mean not exactly?" Carlos asked interrupting the conversation.

"I got into a fight."

"With whom?" Cassandra questioned.

"Nobody in particular," Alice said smiling innocently once again.

"So what Casper just jumped out of his grave and you two started fighting?" Carlos asked sarcastically.

Alice grinned, "Casper doesn't own a grave."

Carlos chuckled, "He owns everything else so why wouldn't he?" Carlos looked towards his mother who had a displeased look on her face. Turning back to Alice he stopped laughing, "But you know that's not who I meant."

Alice rolled her eyes – coward – "Look mom I got into a fight and got lost out in the Arklay Mountains." She turned to Carlos who was now digging through the fridge for food.

"Wasn't Claire with you?" Cassandra turned to her son, "Carlos no eating, go to sleep you have school tomorrow."

Carlos groaned but did as he was told and made his way towards the stairs and up them.

Alice nodded, "But still it's a pretty big area and there isn't exactly a map for it."

"Now that your brother's gone who did you really fight? Was it Claire? That new boy you've been hanging around with?" Cassandra asked this time with a little more force.

Alice shook her head, "Promise you won't be mad, cause I soughta started it and it ended with better results."

Mrs. Olivera thought this through for a second before nodding.

"Jill," Alice whispered, "I got into a fight with Jill and then kissed Claire." Alice smiled faintly at the memory.

"And that's your idea of better results? Have you looked in a mirror?" Cassandra questioned.

Alice nodded furiously, "Oh definitely better and I don't need a mirror to know how bad it is…trust me."

"Well I want you to rest these next few days," Cassandra leant back in her chair. "You know your brother had to walk home?"

"Yeah he told me but so did I."

"You walked?"

"Yeah as I said we got lost."

Cassandra caught the drip of water dropping from her hair, "You're wet as well?"

"I'm beat mom so I'm going to get some sleep," Alice said hurriedly before standing up – she had not reply to her mother's last question – however she did have one of her own. Turning back to face her mother she asked seriously, "Mom what is Regenerate?"

"A supplement you should know that." Cassandra answered.

"No really, what does Umbrella do really?" Alice asked curiously.

"What do mean?"

Alice shook her head, "Just be careful mom." Casper had been right on nearly all accounts so why shouldn't he be now, "Not everything is what it seems." With that she made her way up the stairs leaving her mother in the kitchen.

Alice groaned, flopping down onto her double bed with a loud sigh. Her bones ached, her muscles ached, her head ached, her brain ached…even her teeth ached. Alice bent her head slightly looking at the lava lamp at the other end of her room.

"It's worth a try," Alice whispered to herself with a shrug as she focused her attention on the lava lamp.

Alice rolled her eyes when it didn't budge – maybe Umbrella had made it all up just to screw around with their heads – Alice turned over onto her side right arm under the pillow left arm across her stomach as she stared out the window.

"_You will be placed undercover in the Spencer mansion. You will be an undercover married couple and you will protect the Hives entrance with your lives. Am I clear?"_

Alice diverted her attention away from the window seal to the banana shaped moon that shone brightly into her room casting her figure into a shadow against the wall and door behind her.

"_She has everything Miss Abernathy has, is it wise to let her just walk out of here?"_

Alice continued staring at the half shaped moon. The lava lamp at the end of the room starting to shake violently but Alice gave no attention to it.

"_I want them under 24/7 observation. Each and every move will be monitored, each and every action will be accounted and each and every conversation will be written down to precise detail. They are not to know the truth."_

Alice gave no heed to the lava lamp at the end of the room that was shaking furiously until the glass of the lava lamp shattered sending the liquid inside to her carpeted floor. Alice jolting up at the shattering and Carlos shoving the door open with a worried look, her mother's footsteps in the distance.

"What the hell happened?" Carlos asked worriedly, apple in his mouth and donut his left hand.

Alice blew out a deep breath before looking between her mother now in the doorway, her brother next to her mother and the lava lamp on the floor. "Nothing the lava lamp just broke is all."

"We'll clean it up tomorrow," Cassandra took a deep breath before grabbing the apple out of her son's mouth and the donut from her sons hand before walking off back down the hall.

Carlos pouted a little before turning to his sister, "You okay sis?"

Alice smiled at Carlos use of the word sis, "I'm fine Carlos just go get some sleep." She waited till the door was nearly shut before calling out, "And no raiding the refrigerator." Alice chuckled when she heard the mumbles and groans from her brother as the door clicked shut leaving Alice alone to her thoughts.

Alice sighed. Where had any of those thoughts come from? Where they even thoughts? Where they memories? But of what she had never been inside an Umbrella facility before but yet she had seen it as though she was right there in the same room. Alice rolled over onto her side once again – she'd think more about it tomorrow right now she needed sleep –. Alice closed her eyes and drifted off to sleep in no time.

**Well I told you guys I'd have another one up so soon and here it is. Now all I've got to do is type up another chapter and wait to read another chapter of RockChick11's story 'It's a long way from clear water' that's right if your reading this I'm waiting . Hope you guys enjoyed.**


	13. We Just Want The Truth

**Thanks everyone for the reviews I don't know where'd I'd be without any of them. If you haven't checked out my other story do it's called 'There's More Too It' will have an awesome twist to it. Don't even need to review it. Anyway here's my update. Enjoy.**

_No more talks cause we don't give a fuck  
>About your alibis about your lies<br>And all your excuses,  
>Think we can't handle it,<br>Think we would cave in,  
>Why don't you try it,<br>__No more stories,  
>No more double talk,<br>__And no more cover ups,  
>We just want the truth<br>__**Sick Of It All – We Just Want The Truth**_

__**XXX**

Alice jolted awake heaving and sweating. Her alarm clock blaring as the red numbers flashed brightly.  
>"Wakey, wakey," Carlos said teasingly as he nudged her door with his foot, opening it the rest of the way. "Mr. Boshck called this morning."<br>Alice had a feeling she knew were this was going and by no means did she find it entertaining, especially after so little sleep and early wake up call. Still she asked, "What did he want?" she got out her voice still sounding sleepy as she rubbed her eyes.  
>"Well apparently, Chris and our mother both convinced him to revoke your suspension, Jill's and Claire's. Which means you have school on Monday." He teased once again grin in place.<br>"Aren't you tired?" Alice grumbled out before rolling back over to close her eyes.  
>Carlos grinned somewhat before picking up the loaded water pistol from Alice's dresser and squirted it at his sister.<br>Alice jumped up out of bed, rounded the bed and was after Carlos. The water pistol just hitting the floor once she reached the doorway. Carlos had already taken of down the second story hallway and had reached the stairs by the time Alice was halfway down the hall.  
>"Mom!" Carlos called out reaching the bottom of the stairs just as Alice grabbed the collar of his shirt.<br>She was going to kill him.  
>"Let your brother go and come and get breakfast the both of you…Carlos stop squirting your sister with water." Cassandra gave Carlos the 'I know you did' look.<br>Carlos smiled innocently before moving to the kitchen table, Alice releasing him after a second of tightening the collar.  
>"Why did you have to get me up so early," Alice grumbled, "I've barely gotten six or is it seven hours sleep?" Alice squinted but shook her head; it was too early to do math's.<p>

"Well now whose fault was that?" Carlos teased waving his fork in Alice's direction.  
>Alice glared at her brother before sitting down across from him and with a smirk she gave him a sharp kick in the shin under the table. Alice however grimaced, finally feeling the onset of sore muscles, her bruised eyes and the pain in her body from the fight with Jill – oh today was going to be torture –.<br>"Claire and Jill will be going back to school with you Monday did you hear?" Mrs. Olivera asked as she placed the bacon and eggs on both Alice and Carlos's plate.  
>Alice nodded before mumbling, "Oh I'm sure Claire is thrilled to go back to school," Alice rolled her eyes. She was thrilled to see Claire today but she wasn't really up for fighting for the redhead's attention when she had barely gotten any sleep – that didn't mean she wouldn't. Alice glanced up from her bacon and eggs towards her mother "Aren't you supposed to be at work?"<br>"Nope not yet anyway, Umbrella are setting up for Public day this afternoon." Cassandra shrugged nonchalantly.  
>Alice interest actually peaked at hearing this, "Public day?" she asked curiously.<br>"Yeah, the public get to visit the Umbrella Corporation lab and all that for the day. It'll help for promotion of their new product too, by the way I want you two home early tonight like around five-five thirty." Cassandra said before sitting down with her breakfast.  
>Alice gave some thought to this before pushing away her plate of food, ignoring the last part of her mother's sentence. "I think I'll get ready and go over Claire's." Alice said before moving towards the stairs and up them, leaving Carlos to eat her breakfast for himself and Cassandra to look at the empty spot where her daughter had been moments ago curiously.<p>

Alice had barely taken her first steps into the Redfield house before Claire made her way down the stairs grumbling about random things.  
>"Hey Claire stop grumbling your friend is here," Chris berated, "Where's Carlos?"<br>"More than likely eating my breakfast," Alice shrugged looking around the entryway of the house. She had been friends with Claire for a while now but had never actually seen the inside of the woman's house.  
>Claire grumbled out a small sleepy 'Hello' before plopping down into the dining table seat. Slamming her head on the table she closed her eyes.<p>

Alice chuckled at the scene in front of her. Claire was definitely no morning person, one thing Alice would remember. Still it was cute to see Claire all different and not her usually self at all.  
>"You haven't had breakfast yet?" Chris asked before entering the kitchen disappearing from view, "I'll make you some, were having pancakes."<p>

Before Alice could say 'no thank you' Claire piped in. "Pancakes? I want waffles." She whined.

"Yeah and I want world peace but you don't see me complaining about it…we don't always get what we want!" He called out over the clattering of dishes.

Alice watched as Claire grumbled yet again, her attention quickly diverting to Jill coming down the stairs, brushing her hair.

"Showers yours Claire, might want to take one before Kma-" Jill halted her sentence when she noticed Alice still standing near the front door, "What are you doing here?"

"Thought I'd come over early." Alice said with a smile.

"Real early," Jill pointed out.

Claire grumbled before turning her head on its side to face her two best friends, "I swear if an argument breaks out I will kick both of your asses and throw you both out of the house."

"Claire!" Chris yelled hearing what his sister had just said.

Claire rolled her eyes; "It wasn't me!" she called back before mumbling something incorrigible to herself as clambered up the stairs looking tired and sleepy.

Claire's appearance was cute in Alice eyes with blue pajamas, bed hair, sleepy looking and blue motorcycle slippers; it looked natural and so Claire. Alice looked away from Claire's retreating form to see a glaring Jill. Alice gave a small smile at the woman who just rolled her eyes – Casper had been right pissing Jill of was easy and it was fun doing it –.  
>"Make yourself at home Alice!" Chris called out once again.<p>

Jill rolled her eyes again before continuing brushing her hair, "Why not she's made herself comfortable everywhere else."

Alice watched as Jill took a seat at the dining table, a small barely viewable grimace on the woman's face – well least she wasn't the only one feeling the pain from the fight –. Looking at Jill now she could see the swelling had almost disappeared but the bruises would be there for a while and more than likely the pain too. She was also sure that she looked and felt just like Jill, stiff movements, bruises everywhere, and in a hell of a lot of pain.

"Take a seat," Chris offered placing two pitchers one of orange juice and the other of water on the table.

Alice took the offer and sat down. Holding back the groan of pain and grimace as she smiled over at Jill who she was sure was catching on to what she was doing.

"How's the eye?" Jill asked.

Alice rolled her eyes but before she could answer a pair of feet bounded down the stairs.

"Chris, Claire's still in the bathroom, tell her to get out!" Kmart yelled from the base of the stairs, "Hey Alice." Kmart waved eagerly, "Chris!" she yelled once more.

"Claire!" Chris called out when he returned to the table with glasses.

Five minutes later and Alice turned to see Claire trudging down the stairs, looking refreshed as she tied her hair up into a ponytail. Alice gave a small smile to Claire earning one in response, "Still tired?"

"Remind me never to become a soldier I'd bite my superior officers head off if I ever got up this early and I really don't want to be court marshaled," Claire said with a small grumble as she grabbed the orange juice pitcher and glass. While filling it up, she turned to Alice, "No offense but you look like shit."

Alice scoffed at that, "Thanks and none taken."

Claire smiled brightly before handing the glass over to Alice, filling up a second one and handing it to Jill before filling one for Kmart and Chris then herself. "So what are you doing here so early?"

Before Alice could speak Chris piped in with his deep voice, "Claire go get Kmart I don't want her in the shower for hours on end."

Claire rolled her eyes, she had been forced out of the shower in five minutes, Kmart had yet to be in there that long but she obliged anyway and made her way upstairs after placing her juice back down on the table.

Alice turned back to Jill who was reading the vehicle section of the newspaper, "So last night when you got home what'd you tell Chris?" Alice asked leaning in to whisper.

Jill shrugged not really interested in conversing with the woman. Still she put the paper aside, grabbing a slice off toast of a plate that Chris had brought in earlier while Claire was still in the bathroom, "We told him we got lost. He was mostly curious as to why I looked like I had been hit by a steam roller."

"What did you tell him?" Alice asked.

"I told him truth maybe leaving out the detail about Claire," Jill shrugged hoping the other woman wouldn't continue with the conversation and instead drop it.

Alice nodded and leant back in her seat, "Do you wonder why though?"

Jill looked at the other woman like she had grown a third eye. "Yeah cause you forgot Claire was my girlfriend," Jill got out harshly in a whisper, "And you'd better not forget it again."

Alice rolled her eyes, "You know I could kick your ass. I stopped a bullet after all." Alice grinned but diverted the conversation before Jill could ask how she had done that – cause well not even she knew. "But that's not what I meant."

Jill let the previous conversation and Alice's previous sentence slide, "What did you mean then?"

Alice smiled up at Chris when he entered the room placing various amounts of spreads and syrups on the table. Once he was gone Alice leant in too Jill once again, "Why Umbrella was shooting at us."

Jill shrugged, "Maybe what's his name was right and we should just stay away from Umbrella cause honestly I don't want a repeat of last night."

Alice leant back once again, "I want to find out why Umbrella was shooting at us for."  
>Jill focused her attention on Alice, "Even if we decided to do this where would we start?"<p>

Alice smirked, "Umbrella is having an open day for the public today."

Jill's interest peaked, raising an eyebrow, she grinned herself, "Let me guess you want to go?"

Alice nodded, "We could find out why Umbrella was shooting at us."

"It sounds like a good idea," Claire agreed. Taking a seat at the head of the table, deciding it was best not to choose who to sit next to as it would only lead to a problem.

Jill sighed before reluctantly nodding, "Fine."

Claire smiled leaning over to give Jill's cheek a small quick kiss.

Alice watched on with a glare as Jill smugly smiled. Alice was nearly ready to reach over grab Jill by her collar and drag her over the table and beat her senseless but was stopped from even making a move when Kmart bounded down the stairs again and slid in next to Alice with no hesitation.

Claire rolled her eyes at her two best friends – she probably shouldn't have done that – but Alice's reaction was so cute. She shook her head snapping herself out of her own thoughts once the pancakes arrived, "What happened to my waffles?"

"Suck it up Claire," Chris said sliding into the seat next to Jill with a smile in Jill's direction.

Alice nearly felt like bursting out laughing. Here Claire was kissing Jill on the cheek and then the next moment Chris came in and was all googly eyes at Jill – oh boy it looked like a soap opera –. Alice cleared her throat and got down to eating.

A few minutes into eating and Alice had had it with Jill and Claire's looks between each other. So with a brush of her foot against Claire's leg the redhead's attention was on her and Alice smiled innocently.

"So Alice," Chris dragged out, "What do you want to be when you're older?"

Alice smiled once again at Claire earning one in return as she turned her attention to Chris, "Not sure actually." Alice had always thought of going on to join the military or Umbrella but after last night's fiasco with Umbrella she wasn't sure she wanted to work for them, "You?"

"Jill wants to work for S.T.A.R.S when she's older; I'll be joining the S.T.A.R.S. academy myself next year." Chris shrugged as he continued eating.

Alice didn't miss how Chris had slipped Jill into the conversation and by the small twitching of Claire's lips neither had she.

Kmart smiled widely before piping up, "I want to be a rock star or an adventure like Indiana Jones."

Claire scoffed at the thought, "Whose Angela going to be? Your side kick?"

Kmart sighed, "Nah I'd have to be the sidekick she's a better fighter but still she wants to work as a scientist. Probably because of her dad I don't know." Kmart shrugged.

"Scientist and Adventurer," Claire said rolling the two occupations off her tongue, "It works, it works." She smiled at her sister.

"What about you Claire?" Alice asked genuinely curious.

"A mechanic," Claire answered.

Alice wasn't surprised; Claire had managed to hotwire an Umbrella vehicle in what Rain on the walk home had called impressive timing, "A mechanic?"

"Yeah you should see her room it's like vehicle heaven," Chris grumbled.

Jill rolled her eyes, "More like vehicle hell."

Claire glared at Jill who gave an apologetic smile to her, "I can't help it if I like to get my hands dirty."

Alice almost spat her orange juice all over Jill but with enough restraint she stopped herself. Alice patted her chest as she coughed on the orange juice; a glance at Claire told her that the woman had done it on purpose.

"You okay Alice?" Claire asked with a small twinkle in her eye.

Alice continued patting her chest but nodded – the woman was plainly evil –.

"So what are you guy's going to do today?" Chris asked casually.

"Angela has to go to the public open day at Umbrella because her dad works there so I promised her I'd go to, she'll be picking me up in about half an hour." Kmart answered first.

Claire gave some thought to this, "Hey would her dad be able to drop us of as well?"

Chris's head shot up towards Claire, "You're not seriously thinking off going out today, have you seen Jill, look at her she's injured, she's in no position to go out."

Jill shrugged, "I'm fine it's not that bad actually."

"We'll just be walking around, jeez Chris." Claire rolled her eyes finishing the last of her pancakes before standing up and taking her empty plate to the kitchen.

Alice was up like lightening, making her way to the kitchen plate in hand. Alice smiled slightly entering the kitchen in time to see Claire reach the kitchen sink placing her plate in it. Alice snuck up behind Claire careful not to make a sound, "Hey." Alice whispered earning a small squeak as Claire jumped turning to face her.

"Bloody hell, don't scare me like that," Claire whispered to Alice giving Alice's arm a playful slap, "I could have a heart attack one day."

Alice shrugged but smiled brightly before leaning in and giving Claire a quick kiss. "Wanted to do that since I saw you this morning," Alice gave some thought to that, "Actually no I've wanted to do that since I kissed you on the cheek last night." Claire rubbed the back of her neck in hopes to keep the blush back and Alice thought it looked adorable. Placing her empty plate in the sink she turned to see Jill entering, looking pre-occupied and in thought.

"You sure you guys want to do this?" Jill asked cautiously, "If what's his name is right than Umbrella is someone we need to stay away from."

Alice shook her head, still remaining in Claire's personal space as she turned to Jill. "They won't shoot us in front of the public."

"Hey guys?" Chris popped his head around the doorway corner, "Alice is your brother doing anything today?"

Alice shook her head, "Not that I know off."

"You think he'll be allowed to come play baseball with me, Nicholai and a few of the guys?" Chris asked.

Alice shrugged, "He'll be allowed to play but good luck getting him to play, my brother's lazier than a bear in hibernation."

Chris laughed at that and gave a small wave to three women, "I'll remember that. See you guy's later and don't forget to lock up Claire when you leave."

Claire rolled her eyes, "What you think I'm an idiot?"

Chris grimaced before sarcastically saying with a wide grin, "Don't make me answer that."

"Screw you Chris!" Claire grabbed the nearest wet cloth and launched it at her brother, Chris barely dodging it hitting his face.

Alice shook her head with a smile, siblings she knew what having an annoying brother was like. She had one after all. Alice turned her attention to Kmart who was entering the kitchen, plate and maple syrup in hand. "Angela's father works for Umbrella?"

Kmart nodded still with a mouthful of pancakes, taking a large gulp Kmart placed her empty plate on the bench before moving over towards the fridge, "Yeah her dad's like head researcher at Umbrella or something like that."

"That sounds cool, what does he research?" Alice asked.

Kmart placed the maple syrup in the fridge earning a groan from her sister.

"Maple syrup does not go in fridges." Claire commented.

Kmart rolled her eyes but still took the maple syrup out of the fridge and moved towards the pantry, "Don't know, I don't even think Angie knows all I know is that these function things for Umbrella are usually boring, slight interest here and there but boring nonetheless. You're going to the dinner tonight right?"

Alice squinted, "What dinner?"

"The private dinner function for the employees and all, Angie invited me so I said yes. I just thought considering your mother worked there you'd be going." Kmart shrugged, "All parents bring their kids."

Alice groaned and face palmed. Now she remembered what her mother had said and why she had said she wanted her and Carlos to be home early. "Ugh next thing I'm going to find out I have to wear a dress."

"I don't see what'd be wrong with that," Claire smirked teasingly the same twinkle form before in her eye.

"Did you say invite Kmart?" Alice questioned and when she received a nod in response, Alice turned to Claire with a smirk of her own in place. "Well I invite you and Jill to come with to this dinner."

"Oh hell no," Claire shook her head before sighing, "Fuck me."

Alice shifted slightly in her seat, it wasn't that she was uncomfortable being next to Claire but with Jill on the other side of Claire – not holding Claire's handing was proving to be hell. Alice shifted even more, even cursed under her breath at Jill when the woman reached over and held Claire's hand – some higher power was definitely fucking with her –.

"So whose who? I know Kmart but I don't' know you others."

Alice looked up to where the man was sitting in the front passenger seat looking through the rear view mirror at them, "I'm Alice."

"I'm Claire and that's Jill," Claire pointed out to Jill who gave a small wave.

"Well I'm Charles, please don't call me Mr. Ashford makes me sound older than I am," Dr. Ashford said with a small smile in their direction.

Alice chuckled at that, "So you're a researcher." Alice piped in after a few minutes silence.

"Yes pretty much I also do programming and a few other things," Dr. Ashford shrugged nonchalantly.

"What do you research?" Alice asked curious.

"Well Umbrella is a medical, computer and healthcare corporation. So I deal with genes and a few other things." Dr. Ashford answered with slight hesitancy.

Alice didn't miss the fact that he had mentioned what Umbrella do. Everyone knew what Umbrella did so repeating what they said and the way he had said it made her believe he was hiding something. "Sounds interesting," Alice nodded, "The things that genes can do."

Dr. Ashford nodded, "The human body is amazing. Here we are," Dr. Ashford motioned for the driver to pull up beside the Umbrella Corporation building.

Alice pushed open the door and exited the vehicle, Kmart and Angela in conversation – better yet Kmart talking and Angela listening – Alice smiled at that. Some may have thought the conversation looked one sided but if you looked just a tad deeper you'd see Angela was actually interested in what Kmart was saying. Alice shut the door behind her when she realized Claire had decided to get out Jill's door instead. Alice shoved down the jealousy, turning to look at Dr. Ashford who was being helped into a wheel chair – not exactly what she had been thinking.

"Surprise huh?" Dr. Ashford asked at the look on the young woman's face.

"I'm sorry it's just I..I..I'm going to shut up before I dig a deeper hole." Alice smiled nervously.

"Don't worry," Dr. Ashford waved it off, "There are just something's that can't be helped, and I've learned to accept it."

"Dr. Ashford!"

Alice turned her attention away from the wheel chaired man to the young man making his way over towards them. He was clad in black jacket suit, black pants suit, shiny shoes and a white shirt. Then again the guy always seemed to look rich and important probably due to the fact his Uncle was one of the richest men alive.

"Uh Mr. Wesker," Dr. Ashford reached out shaking his hand, "You clean up nice."

"Yes well my Uncle prefers I don't look like a schlep at these things."

Dr. Ashford nodded before motioning towards the collar, "No tie?"

Casper chuckled, "I do have my limits sir, may I give you a hand?" Casper offered.

"No no I'm fine." Dr. Ashford said, "Where's your Uncle?"

Casper nodded towards the building, "Talking to the public what else would he be doing."

Dr. Ashford nodded, "Well I better go say hi talk to you later Casper." With that he wheeled himself towards the door.

"So you're here, I thought despised Umbrella." Alice commented crossing her arms as Angela and Kmart walked towards the building, Jill and Claire rounding the vehicle to stand with Alice.

"I do. I'm here for the free food." Casper nodded with a smile before looking around, "Your brother not here?"

"He's doing baseball with Chris."

"Uh that's why he didn't arrive with your mother either," Casper nodded, "Well I mus-" Casper paused before waving to the two occupants behind the three women, "Mrs. Ocampo pleasure to see you again ma'am." He said before thumbing towards the building, "Postings are up, I think you have server room 14C."

Mrs. Ocampo grumbled, "Nothing interesting ever happens there." She gave a small nod to the group before lugging the duffel bag towards the building leaving Rain behind with the group.

"Rain didn't know that was your mom," Casper commented with a look back to the security woman.

"Yeah now I have to stay here through this damn thing, when I could be sleeping the day away." Rain grumbled.

"You kidding, it's a beautiful morning ladies," Casper grinned. He nodded towards Alice after a few moments silence, "You should go say hi to your mom. Now ladies I have to go introduce myself to the new arrivals, I shall see you later." Casper gave a short considerate nod towards the four women before making his way around them and towards another vehicle that had just pulled up.

Alice watched the young man till he disappeared out of view before turning to Claire and the others, "Well looks like this day just gets better and better."

Alice stared at the large poster situated on the white metallic looking wall. She had found and spoken to her mother like Casper had suggested earlier. Claire and Jill had disappeared to find the cafeteria and Rain well Rain, that woman just had a habit of disappearing as she was starting to figure out.

"Your mother's brilliant."

Alice jumped slightly before turning to face the occupant of the voice.

"I apologize never meant to scare you but I couldn't help but notice your interest in this poster," Wesker nodded towards the poster. "My apologies we met at my place, I'm Casper's Uncle." He extended his hand to Alice.

Alice shook the offered hand, "Yeah I remember."

"Yes well Casper doesn't exactly have the warmest attitude towards me." Wesker shrugged, "I just hope he gets there one day, he has so much potential."

Alice squinted at the way the man had put that last part of the sentence before nodding at the man. Turning to look back at the poster she spoke up once again curious, "It's amazing what Regenerate does, how does it work?"

Wesker stepped up beside the young woman, clasping both hands behind his back as he contemplated the question, "Well it restores the blood cells in the body. We tell everybody it's an anti-aging product, we tell our employers it's not and that it's a vitamin supplement but truthfully it is an anti-aging product."

Alice shook her head, "I don't see the benefits in doing so sir."

"Please call me Wesker," he extended a hand towards a vile on display, "Think about it if we told our employers we had actually found a way to reverse aging. Let's put it this way one of those tubes are worth millions, when our products done they will be sold for a lot less but still to sell them to healthcare companies the profit would be amazing."

Alice nodded understanding, "Greed."

"Greed can make a person do many things." Wesker turned his attention away from the young woman to a man entering the building, "My apologies but it seems my presence is need elsewhere. Tell the guards and the cafeteria workers that you and your friends are on Albert Wesker's VIP list." He nodded before moving away towards the man.

Alice gave a short nod before staring at the tube filled with a blue liquid. Alice reached out her hand barely a centimeter away from the glass box that contained the blue liquid.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you."

Alice jumped once again – shit she had to get rid of these nerves –.

"Sorry didn't mean to scare you but I also didn't want you to trigger an alarm," the woman shrugged coming up beside Alice. "These things a wired to be a death trap one touch and the alarms go off next thing you know you're surrounded by Umbrella security, guns pointed in your face."

Alice turned to the woman curious eyebrow raised. She squinted slightly; she looked so familiar, like really really familiar.

"My apologies," the woman extended her hand with a friendly smile, "I'm Claire Redfield."

**Dun Dun Da….mmmmwwwwhahahaha that's an evil place to stop a chapter and make you guys wait I know and yes I did that on purpose. I have the end of this story down packed it's just getting there that's going to take a few days. I plan to have this story finished by the 14****th**** of March because I'll be going on holiday by then and I don't want you guys to be left with a cliff hanger for the next six or seven months. Anyway what will happen when Alice and the group run into Miss Abernathy? Hope you guys enjoyed.**


	14. Lost

**Hey guy's long wait since update but I've been so focused on building my Mass Effect character in preparation for number ME3 on Thursday that I forgot about the story. But do not fear I will have a few chapters so you don't have to wait while I immerse myself in the game. Anyway its short I know and yes I know there's not much Alice Claire going on lately but trust me next chapter at the dinner party there definitely will be.  
><strong>

_Your whispers fill these empty halls  
>I'm searching for you as you call<br>I'm racing, chasing after you  
>I need you more<em>_**  
>Red – Lost<strong>_

__**XXX**_**  
><strong>_

Alice blinked a few times her eyes darting from the woman's extended hand and the woman's eye's and back again. This had to be some joke; someone was pulling a prank on her. She glanced around looking for her brother – hell even Casper would pull a prank like this – but she saw no Carlos and Casper was too busy trying to look like he was actually interested in what the public was actually saying while looking as if he was fighting off rolling his eyes at the public.  
>"Is everything alright?"<br>Alice snapped her attention back to the woman to see the hand that was extended return to the woman's side. The woman had Claire down packed, the looks, the hair color, the eye color, and the voice. "Uh…" – what was she supposed to say? – she seemed to be staring at what looked like a future version of Claire. Which she had to admit looked good.  
>"You okay?" the woman asked.<br>Alice shook her head, "Yeah sorry it's just…" she shook her head once again still trying to wrap her head around it, "Nevermind, I'm Alice by the way."  
>The woman nodded casually her eyes shifting from the Alice to the Regenerate vile, "its pretty isn't it?"<p>

Alice nodded quickly before snapping her attention to the vile, "I suppose though it's not like its neon lights however the color really resembles neon lights." Alice said with a small chuckle.

The woman nodded with a chuckle of her own, "Yeah but I don't think Umbrella is in the process of making flashing lights."

Alice shrugged, "I wouldn't put it past them." She wouldn't either. Yesterday had proved to her not only that Umbrella couldn't be trusted, but Umbrella was full of surprises.  
>The woman gave another shrug, "It was really nice to meet you Alice." She gave a genuine smile to the young adult before moving away from the teen.<p>

Alice followed the woman with her eyes. She couldn't get over how much alike that woman and Claire looked even though the woman looked a little bit older maybe another seven or eight years. To say she was bothered by the resemblance was an understatement. The woman had the same eyes, same hair, same calm demeanor, same name, and same god-damn infatuating smile.  
>"Hey space cadet, come back down from the moon," Claire chuckled as she waved her hand in front of Alice's face.<p>

Alice jumped slightly before turning to face an unimpressed Jill that surprisingly enough wasn't even looking her way and a smiling Claire – okay she was wrong, that woman didn't have the same infatuating smile – Claire's was much better. "Sorry," she shook her head looking back at her previous thought that was currently trying to ignore a young rich looking man that was flirting with her – acted like Claire too – she smiled at that thought.

Claire followed Alice's line of sight, "So what's her name?" Claire asked in her best teasing voice while ignoring the stab of jealousy.

Alice thought this through before turning to smile at Claire, "Her names Claire believe it or not."

Claire crinkled her brow, "You're kidding right?"  
>Alice shook her head, "So you guy's see anything out of the ordinary?" Alice asked deciding it was best to divert away from the topic of the redhead woman that she had been talking to moments before. Explaining it to Claire was going to be even more difficult if she herself couldn't wrap her own head around it.<p>

Claire turned to Jill who was currently off in her own little world, "Well other than the fact that for the first time in years Jill has actually ignored anything I say…no not really."

"Huh?" Jill snapped out of her daze look to see both Alice and Claire staring at her, "What?" she asked casually but annoyed at the same time.

"You're off with the fairies Jill," Claire answered.

Jill gave a small smile in return, "Sorry just a lot on my mind…anyway what were you guy's talking about?"

Alice smirked - oh she could so tease Jill right now and probably piss her off – but a look in Claire's direction told her Claire knew exactly what she was planning and that she didn't want Alice saying anything that would only cause a fight. So with a sigh Alice told the truth, "I asked if you two had found anything out of the ordinary."

Jill shook her head, "Nothing but a two guard posted door at the end of the lobby."

Alice nodded, "Considering every other door here is one guard posting, something inside that door has to be important. May have something to do with why they wer-" Alice dragged that last part out quietly barely a whisper as she halted her sentence.

"What is it with all the girls around me drifting off into fantasy land," Claire scoffed at the thought as she watched Alice's attention slip away while Jill still seemed like she was paying hardly any attention. "I'm going to go jump of the Raven's gate bridge onto the hard rocky ground beneath." Claire spoke up in a raised tone looking for any motion that would signal they were paying attention.

"That's good Claire."

Claire scoffed at the reply coming from the still off in her own world Jill before noticing the nod from Alice who was hardly even paying attention herself – how did she end up falling for the two women? – would always be an unanswered question.

"I wonder what's in that case." Alice pointed over towards the metallic case being carried through the double guarded door at the end of the lobby.

Claire rolled her eyes before walking away leaving Jill and Alice to snap out of their thoughts just in time to see Claire's retreating form disappear into the large crowds.

"What happened?" Alice questioned Jill who gave a shrug in return.

"I'll go find out," Jill spoke up and walked away before Alice could even make a move in the direction Claire went.  
>Alice opened her mouth to speak but shut it just as quickly when Jill disappeared into the crowds, she didn't even have the chance to counteract what Jill had said – oh hell no she was not allowing Jill to talk to Claire in that sweet way that meant more than friends –. Alice looked between the crowds previous thoughts about the metallic crate pushed aside. She needed to find Claire.<br>Standing in between the display cases and crowds Alice closed her eyes and focused her attention. It just seemed the most natural thing to do at the time as if she was used to doing such things. She could hear the faintest sounds even over the crowd, of Jill calling out for Claire. Alice opened her eyes and ran them over the crowd till her line of sight eventually fell on the redhead who was so far successfully avoiding or ignoring Jill or otherwise she just hadn't heard Jill call her name.

Alice pushed through the crowd, dodging waiters with trays of wine and other alcohol as she made her way through the crowd. She gave a glance over to Jill at the other end of the lobby and she knew Jill had spotted her just by the fact she was moving a lot faster than before hand. Alice quickened her pace through the crowd flicking her attention between Claire and Jill.

The final push from her through the crowd left both herself and Jill standing side by side with Claire's back turned to them. Alice smirked at Jill while Jill glared at her.

Claire turned around and jumped back sharply, "Whoa were the hell did you two come from?" She questioned staring curiously between her two best friends who were now in a glaring contest.  
>"Wow. What happened?" Rain questioned surprising Claire who jumped a little.<p>

"Holy shit," Claire placed a hand over her heart in hopes of slowing it's beating before turning to Rain, "I think somebody killed somebody's goldfish." Claire shrugged as she answered, "Their acting like children."

Rain chuckled, "Love-struck children nonetheless." Rain smiled innocently when Claire glared at her, "Hey don't blame me, I've been spending way too much time around Casper and his attitude is rubbing off on me."

Claire shook her head, "Speaking of which, where is he?"

Rain shrugged, "He vanished a good ten minutes ago."

Claire nodded before turning back to Jill and Alice who were still glaring at each other. Claire rolled her eyes before speaking up, "Look either stop staring at each other or get a room geez." Claire scoffed with a small chuckle.

Alice snapped her attention away from Jill and towards Claire with a surprised look on her face as she folded her arms defensively. "You okay?" she asked deciding against correcting Claire on who she'd rather get a room with.

Claire looked at both Jill and Alice curiously as they both continued staring at her with worry on their face, "Well I'm not literally planning on jumping of Raven's gate bridge if that's what you think."

Rain nudged Claire's arm with her elbow breaking up the conversation as she nodded towards the double guarded door that Casper was exiting from. "Seems like maybe Alice was right and he knows a lot more than he's letting on."

Claire squinted slightly before nodding, "As friends of his I don't see why he wouldn't give us a tour." Claire said and with a wave of her hand in his direction she got his attention and he made his way over to the group.

"Ladies enjoying the day, hope not cause' god I'm more bored than a midget at an amusement park." Casper dragged out over the loud chatter as he pulled on the collar of his white shirt while un-tucking the shirt from his pants.

"Hey could you give us a tour?" Claire asked.

"A tour? Everything has a label to it not much call for a tour plus I'm no tour guide. Although I think I'd make a good looking one." Casper said playfully with a cocky grin as Jill rolled her eyes.

"I meant a tour behind the scenes?"

Casper shook his head, "There's nothing interesting back there." Casper said his tone now serious. He knew exactly what she meant by behind the scenes.

"Than what's the problem with showing us?" Alice asked with a raised eyebrow. She wasn't sure anymore whether or not to trust him. He was just too secretive, overly secretive to the point that she was beginning to question everything he di.

Casper shook his head once again, "Let it go now!" Casper said with a finger pointed in all of their directions, "The deeper you look the more dangerous it gets."

"We just want answers Casper that's all," Jill said using his first name for the first time.

"Answers will only lead to more questions and more questions will only lead to somebody getting hurt. Now let it go." Casper whispered in a harsh tone before straightening up as his Uncle stepped up to the group. "Albert," Casper nodded in his direction.

"Everything okay here?" Wesker questioned with interest.

"Everything's fine just explaining the insides and out's of this building nothing of too much interest." Casper shrugged.

Wesker smiled at that, "You know the building was designed for the hardest of weather erosions."

Alice watched as Casper rolled his eyes and she knew he knew that Wesker was the least bit interested in talking about the Umbrella Corporation building. But what was he really interested in talking about and why was he so interested in talking to them, was the real question. "What about the mansion in the Arklay Mountains?" Alice questioned turning her attention away from Casper to Wesker who was now silent.

"It's called the Spencer Mansion; it was built by the founder of the Umbrella Company." Wesker stated deciding that was as far as he would like to take the conversation.

Alice had other plans however, "What's its purpose?" Alice questioned.

Wesker turned to face the young woman, "It's a house nothing more."

Casper shook his head, "Why's it out in the middle of the Arklay Mountains for then?" He questioned. He had to admit he was intrigued by the fact Umbrella had a mansion out in the middle of nowhere, better yet if it was just a house, security would never have been posted there.

Wesker snapped his attention to his nephew, "I suppose Mr. Oswald enjoyed the scenery." Wesker turned his attention to the crowd, "Excuse I have guests to entertain I'm sure we will continue this conversation later." He said that last part directed at Casper and with a lot more force.

"What's wrong with discussing it now?" Casper asked speaking up before his Uncle could disappear.

Wesker's confident demeanor dropped for a split second before returning. "There's no need for discussion it's just a house in the mountains lots of people have houses in the mountains."

Casper knew he had struck a nerve, "But usually those houses are located on maps."

Wesker turned his attention away from Casper and gave short nods to the four women, "Ladies excuse me would you." He turned his attention back to Casper, "We'll talk about it later, I have investors to go make nice with."

Alice waited till the man had gotten far enough away before turning to Casper, "Curious yet?" She asked with a raised eyebrow, knowing the answer already.

Casper turned his attention to Alice, "Okay it's got my attention." He nodded towards the double guarded door, "Dress nicely ladies for tonight's dinner you never know what could happen at those things."

With that Alice watched Casper walk away dragging along Rain as he conversed with the young woman. Alice turned her attention back to Claire, "By the way what are you wearing tonight?"

Claire glared at Alice, "If you think you're getting me into a dress and high heels, there had better be dinner involved." Claire groaned immediately regretting the sentence the moment it left her mouth.

Alice smirked at Claire's slip in the sentence, "Oh but there is dinner."

**Claire failed at an attempt to fool Alice. By the way that sentence Claire used was said in the very first Mass Effect by Ashley to a Male Shepard (albeit slightly differently) so yeah that's how much I've been playing the game. I literally can't even sleep without dreaming about it. Anyway hope you guys enjoyed this chapter next one should be up shortly.  
><strong>


	15. You

**Been a while but ME3 is just so damn awesome…stupid Bioware for killing me. Anyway here's the next chapter.**

_Promise me you'll try,  
>To leave it all behind,<br>'Cause I've elected hell,  
>Lying to myself,<br>Why have I gone blind?  
>Live another life<br>__**Breaking Benjamin – You**_

**XXX**

Alice rolled her eyes at the mirror before picking up another outfit, holding it against herself while she looked at herself in the mirror. It had to be at least the eighth outfit she had looked at in the mirror in the last five minutes.  
>"You going to pick one or stare at yourself in the mirror all day?" Carlos questioned munching on an apple as he spoke.<p>

Alice rolled her eyes, "Are you ever going to stop eating?" Alice rolled her eyes again at her brother reflection in the mirror when he gave a shrug from her door way, "Didn't think so." She turned to face her brother, "Is that what you're wearing?" She nodded towards her brother's casual clothing.

"I'm not going."

Alice's attention was now fully focused on Carlos, "What do you mean you're not going?"

"Well Chris invited me to join him and Nicholai at the college football game." Carlos shrugged.

"Ah well," Alice said with a fake sigh, "I spose' Jill will just have to dance by herself." Alice gave a small shrug, hiding the smile that was now plastered on her face from Carlos reaction to the news.

"Well err…" Carlos rubbed the back of his neck, "I'm going to cancel the thing with Chris I mean can't have my sister going to this party without her brother just wouldn't feel right." Carlos said walking away from the door as their mother entered Alice's room while Carlos walked away mumbling under his breath about what he should wear.

"What's up with him?" Cassandra asked her daughter while placing neatly folded clothes onto the already clothing ridden bed.

"Oh nothing I convinced him to come along with us to this dinner," she said with a small shrug but a twinkle in her eyes and a mischievous grin on her face. Turning to her mother, "What do you think?"  
>"It looks pretty, beautiful even." She replied to her daughter's comment with a smile.<p>

"Well there goes that one," Alice said throwing the outfit back onto the bed.

"You're not going to wear it?"

"Nope," Alice shook her head as she placed another one up against herself while seeing how it looked in the mirror.

"Then why did you ask me what I thought?"

"Look mum no offense but when your parents say you look pretty or beautiful in a dress you so don't want to wear it and by the way I'm not going for pretty or beautiful." Alice said with a look over her shoulder in her mother's direction.

"You know I don't think Claire cares what you look like as long as your smiling in her direction," Cassandra rolled her eyes, "I've noticed that myself. Every time you look her way she's all 'I'm not staring at you' or blushing, one of the two."

"Mom," she really didn't want her mother thinking anything was going on between them.

"What? I didn't say anything other than Claire cares about you a lot all you need to do is make a move and prove to Claire that you can do everything Jill can do ten times better."

Alice shook her head before turning to her mother shocked, "Mom please don't give me relationship advice." Alice knew what her mother was talking about – not that she hadn't thought about those certain situations with Claire – but she definitely didn't want her mother thinking about them.

"What?" Cassandra smiled innocently at her daughter.

"Mom I really don't want to go there with you, what me and Claire do alone stays between us." Alice pointed out while trying a different outfit.

Cassandra shook her head, "Until you're eighteen in the eyes of the law what happens between you and Claire alone is against the law."

Alice groaned, "Mom please."

"Sorry sweetie I can't change the law," she smiled mischievously. Alice caught on quickly.

"Oh man I'm not even going to be able to look at Claire tonight," Alice groaned as her mother laughed.  
>"Just hurry up and get ready we've got to be there in an hour and at the rate your going we'll be lucky if we make it by Christmas." Cassandra said with a chuckle as she exited the room.<p>

It had taken Alice a good forty five minutes to get ready and by the time she was the doorbell rang, in the fashion that told her it was Claire – yeah that's right Claire had a unique way of ringing the door bell or knocking on the door –. Alice reached the door first this time, just in time to grab the handle before Carlos could much to his disappointment but still even with her hand on the door handle Carlos pushed her to get her away from the door resulting in a pushing war that seemed to remind her off the pushing war that herself and Jill had gotten into over Claire.

"Oh my goodness both of you are acting like children, while the guests are standing outside to be let in." Mrs. Olivera said pushing both her children out the way before yanking open the front door with a smile in the direction of two young ladies on the opposite side. "Wow don't you two look spectacular absolutely beautiful."

Alice placed her hand on her mother's shoulder before getting onto the tips of her toes feeling Carlos do the same beside her but no matter what position she or Carlos got in to catch a glimpse of the occupants her mother was just too tall to see over and their mother was blocking the doorway. The anticipation at seeing Claire was almost killing her; she literally thought that if she didn't get a glimpse of Claire in the next few seconds she would keel over and die.

Alice decided enough was enough. Clearing her throat rather loudly to get her mother's attention and when that failed she tapped her mother's shoulder earning her mother's attention. She sent a 'are you going to let them in?' look towards her mother who chuckled slightly before moving away from the door.

Okay Alice may have been dying of anticipation before but now she was happy knowing that if she did die she'd die happily. Alice opened her mouth to speak but closed it again – what was she to say? – beautiful didn't seem to fit it, pretty didn't come close, sexy was just a no no especially with Jill around, cute and adorable was just not something you say when someone was wearing a dress like that.

Claire on the other hand smiled at Alice's gaping reaction before deciding to milk the moment for all it was worth. Waving her hand in front of Alice's face she smiled, "I think we should buy you a space shuttle you seem to be on the moon a lot lately, so you must be having troubles coming back to Earth. What your last space shuttle crash when you landed?"

Alice shook her head and smiled sheepishly at Claire while rubbing her neck nervously, "I err, what?" Alice said trying to sound as casual as possible but her voice broke at every syllable.

Jill rolled her eyes at the obvious flirtation happening in front of her – surprised she wasn't actually as bothered by it she was previously used to be –. "So how long does this thing go for?" Jill spoke up drawing their attention away from one another.

Claire jumped a little at the voice that had snapped her out of her thoughts about Alice, "Huh?"

"Hour or two not really sure," Alice said with a shrug in Jill's direction and a smile in Claire's.

"You look beautiful tonight Jill," Carlos said wide smile on his face.

Jill rolled her eyes but remained polite, she gave a slightly strained, "Thank you."

Carlos grimaced and rubbed the back of his head when a hand connected with it. Turning to face his mother he looked curiously at her, "What was that for?"

"Leave the poor girl alone," Cassandra said shaking her head in her son's direction, while shuffling through her purse.

"What I was just being polite, didn't you always tell me to appreciate women and respect them." Carlos said before turning to Claire, "You look beautiful tonight too."

Claire smiled weakly at Carlos. She knew it was his way of covering what he truly meant when he was talking to Jill but at the same time she knew he had meant it in a friendly way. She had put the stops on him flirting with her in the first three days and after that he had taken little interest in her – much to her happiness – and instead focused solemnly on Jill – poor Jill –.

"Yes well I said respect not act creepily." She smiled at her son before pointing towards the car in the driveway, "Well we had better get going that party isn't going to wait forever."

Alice almost jumped out of the vehicle once it had pulled up inside the underground parking beside the Umbrella Corporation building. She took a deep breath and tried regaining her composure. Ten minutes in a vehicle with Claire right next to her was murderous, that damn intoxicating perfume Claire was wearing was of no help to Alice's frustration of not being able to kiss Claire – it actually added to it.

Alice watched as Claire got out of the vehicle and rounded the vehicle to stand in front of her; god the way she moved, walked, talked, that dress she was wearing perfect - she was perfect – better than perfect.

"Earth to Alice, Earth to Alice." Casper smiled waving a hand in front of the woman's face, "Oh god it's happened the Grey's have come and abducted Alice's brain." He feigned panic, "This really is the end of times."

Alice's snapped out of her trance and turned to glare at Casper before turning to glare at current company who were all laughing at her – oh god she couldn't have looked that far gone could she? – a look in Casper's direction at his mischievous smile told her that she had. Alice groaned before speaking, "Shouldn't we be heading inside?" Alice's said a little annoyed at being caught staring at Claire.

Casper chuckled once again before turning to the older looking woman, "Might I say Mrs. Olivera, you look absolutely amazing tonight, I wouldn't be surprised if every guy in the place tonight is asking for a dance."

Cassandra smiled at the boy's charming nature, "Why thank you sir."

Casper shook his head holding a hand up, "I'm not my father so no sir but there is one thing you can promise me?"

Cassandra smiled at his politeness, "And what is that?"

"I get the first dance with the most beautiful lady in the place," he said genuine smile on his face.

Cassandra smiled at that, "We'll see now enough with the charming on me."

"Right must switch now," he grinned before turning to Alice, "Beautiful as always." He said before turning to Claire, "You I'm pretty sure Alice showed what everyone was thinking." At that comment the laughter started up once again while Alice ducked her head to hide her blush but Casper saw it. "Carlos you always look like a dag," he said giving the teen's hand a shake while both of them laughed. He wasn't so sure if he should compliment Jill considering the woman's temper towards him – so he opted for a simple compliment nothing to charming, "You look pretty Valentine." He nodded towards her earning a nod in return. "So can I escort you ladies inside, it'd make me look good having so many lovely ladies on my arm."

"Okay Romeo your charming just peaked annoying," Jill stated causing the group to laugh.

Casper shrugged with a small laugh before motioning for the group to follow him. "There are table placements all over the room, god damn name tags took forever to type up, they gave me more hell than chop sticks." He finished with a frustrated huff to emphasize his point as he pushed open the door.  
>"Wow this is a big change since this morning," Claire commented running her eyes over the shinning, ballroom like lobby.<p>

"Tell me about it, I was here pushing furniture around all day." Casper rolled his eyes.

"The troubles you go to," Alice commented sarcastically with a shake of her head.

"Maybe you just need more muscle like me," Carlos spoke up jokingly flexing his muscles with a smile.

"Why? Now that you mention it I'll just call you up and make you do it saves me all that time working out," Casper teased before nodding over to a backroom. "Carlos I want to show you something I think you'll find it cool." He nodded to the four ladies before him and Carlos made their way over to the backroom.

"I'll never get those two," Cassandra spoke up earning nods from the three girls, "Well I better go make my presence known you three stay out of trouble." She waited for the nods before making her way over to a few of her friends she had made since coming to Raccoon City.

Alice gave a shrug, "You ever realized how awkward it is when it's just us three hanging out?" She questioned to a listening Claire but oblivious Jill. "And Jill's off with those fairies again."

"She's been doing that a lot lately," Claire shrugged, "Jill." Claire waved her hand in front of Jill's face.

Jill jumped slightly turning to look at Claire and Alice who had smiles on their faces. Obviously loving her reaction. "Sorry just lost in thought."

"Care to share?" Rain asked stepping into the group.

This time both Alice and Claire jumped spinning to look at the intruder before turning to face each other breaking out into a fit of laughter at their own reaction, Rain just giving them a weird look before turning to Jill.

"You seen Casper? He wasn't the greeter this time." Rain asked.

Jill gave a small annoyed nod, "He's in the backroom, somewhere over there." She motioned over towards a blue door, "He's with Carlos so maybe you should wait till Carlos is annoying me than you can go talk to him."

Rain nodded, "Your right perfect time, so in about five-ten minutes he should be free." She chuckled for a few seconds before shutting up when Jill glared at her – oh god if looks could kill she swore she'd be lying dead on the ground right now –.

"Well before a fight breaks out let's go find what the boys are up to…" Claire gave some thought to that, "Or maybe not."

Alice chuckled, "I dare you to say that to Casper's face."

Claire shook her head, "God no poor kid looks like he already has enough nightmares."

Alice whole heartedly laughed at that, "Come on let's go find our places."

It took Alice and good fifteen minutes to find her placement, which was right next to Claire's – she had to remember to thank Casper later as she was positive he had something to do with it – and now nearly two hours on everybody had finished their food as was either talking or on the dance floor, her's and Carlos's mom choosing to dance with some random guy. Still Alice was glad she was enjoying herself. Alice looked up towards Casper and Rain who were currently in conversation before turning to look at a chatting Carlos and a tired looking Jill. She was honestly surprised, she had expected Jill to glare at her or look pissed off by the fact she was sitting next to Claire but nothing – nadda, something definitely had to be bothering her. Alice leant over to Claire, closing the small distance between herself and the redhead so she could whisper to her.

"Jill's been awfully quiet. You don't know what's up with her?" Alice questioned concern in her voice. She may hate the woman at times but Jill was still a nice person – when they weren't fighting over Claire.

Claire shrugged watching Jill's exhausted look, "Maybe's she's tired." Claire sighed, "Something's obviously on her mind but she won't tell me."

Alice squinted slightly towards Jill and when Jill finally looked up the only answer she got was a curious look not even a glare from the fact she was still pretty much within kissing distance of Claire – oh something was definitely up –.

Carlos finally finished talking before looking towards Rain, deciding it was best not to try his luck with Jill. "Hey Rain want to dance I'm bored."

Rain switched her attention towards Carlos leaving Casper to his glass of Apple juice that he had been stirring for the past eight minutes. Shrugging she turned to Casper, "You owe me a dance next." She smiled before getting up with Carlos as they made their way to the dance floor.

Alice chewed on her lip as she contemplated her next decision. There were a lot of girls dancing together on the dance floor, so it wouldn't look weird. She glanced over to Jill who was still completely lost in thought although now just a tad angrier. She wondered how far she could push the woman before she'd eventually say something. But hell she was never one to be scared or do things slowly – turning to Claire she smiled brightly as she stood up.

"Care to dance?" she asked the redhead who glanced over to Jill who was still not paying attention.

"You mind Jill?" Claire asked, she wanted to dance with Alice but at the same time she didn't want to leave Jill alone with the man she was positive her friend wanted to kill.

Jill looked up at her two friends – yes two friends – she nodded with a weak smile, "Go ahead."

Alice nearly died right there, she was going to go dance with the girl's girlfriend and she wasn't even bothered by that. Actually she had almost in tone given them the go ahead to date. Alice shook her head grabbing Claire's hand and dragging her to the dance floor. It was best she drag Claire away quickly before Jill realized what she had said in case it was a mistake.

Casper rocked his feet back and forth under the table. It was awkward now, he was positive of that just by the silence at the table. He should probably just get up and talk to someone else, he didn't want to be a bother to Jill but at the same time the woman looked as if she didn't mind the company…actually needed the company. Casper turned to her before getting up and making his way over to her, giving a small bow he held out his hand to her.  
>"May I have this dance?" He asked politely with a not over drastic charming smile.<p>

Jill rolled her eyes at the young man, "Why don't you go ask Rain." She told him.

Casper scrunched up his brow, withdrawing his hand and standing up straight. "Uh excuse me?"

"Rain you know the brown haired girl. You know it's not a good thing when you forget the girls name doesn't win you any brownie points." Jill said taking a sip of her water, while trying her best to ignore Casper.

Casper rubbed the back of his neck confused, "Uh sorry, I'm still not understanding."

"Look it's obvious she's interested so just go ask her, god just don't let Carlos come back here." She rolled her eyes taking yet another sip of water.

Casper looked towards Rain before turning back to Jill, "I could cut in if I wanted to but I asked you." He said sincerely.

"I don't want your pity Casper."

Casper shifted slightly on his feet, "I wasn't pitying you I was just trying to be nice, trying not to be annoying to you." Casper shrugged, "So I'm sorry if I am annoying I'll leave you to it." Casper nodded to Jill before making his way to another table; he'd just find some other girl to dance with.

"I feel terrible for leaving Jill there." Claire commented as she danced hand in hand with Alice.

Alice looked over towards Jill who was now left sitting at the table by herself. "I think Casper asked her to dance but she refused."

"Maybe I should go ask her to dance," Claire said. She really didn't like leaving Jill alone.

Alice nodded, "Maybe you should." She released Claire, "But once you've danced with her we're finishing this dance." She smiled at a chuckling Claire, "I better go find Romeo see if he'll dance with me."

Claire smiled at that before making her way over to Jill. Sitting down in the seat next to her she smiled at the black haired woman, "You care dance with me."

Jill turned to face Claire offering a small weak smile while shaking her head, "Nah I'm not really in the mood but you go ahead." She smiled once again to Claire.

Claire squinted slightly. "Come on Jill spill and don't tell me your okay."

"I'm fine Claire really; I guess I'm just exhausted." Jill shrugged carelessly. "Last night was a rough night."

"Bullshit," Claire said with a shake of her head, "I'm not going back to that dance floor till I know your okay."

"Claire really I'm tired, trust me my mood will pick up tomorrow when we go to the movies okay?" Jill said with a nod hoping Claire would just drop it.

"I'm not buying it." Claire said.

"Fine I'm sore okay, Alice packs a hell of a punch I just didn't want to appear weak." She was lying and she was positive Claire knew it to.

Claire shook her head, "When you're ready to talk I'm here Jill I promise." Claire said quietly for just herself and Jill to hear before getting up and making her way towards Alice.

"How's Jill?" Alice questioned disposing her brother to dance with Claire.

Claire shook her head in disappointment, "Jill doesn't want to talk to me about it."

"Maybe she just needs time to think about whatever she's thinking about," Alice said with a small shrug, "I'm sure it's nothing to important."

Claire sighed, "Probably but she's been like that all morning and it's not like her."

"Well not all morning she basically looked as if she wanted to kill me this morning when I watched you head upstairs for your shower."

"You provoke her," Claire said with a chuckle.

"Can't help it," Alice said with a shrug, "You're just so damn beautiful."

Claire smiled weakly at the compliment, "Thanks you are too but right now I feel bad about Jill.

Alice looked over to Jill who reluctantly was saying yes to dancing with Carlos in hope's to stop her brother from annoying her… poor Jill if she only knew it'd encourage him more. "Don't let it ruin your evening," Alice turned back to Claire pulling the redhead closer.

"Your right I shouldn't but no matter what it's Jill I still care about her." Claire said with a small shift of her feet that didn't go unnoticed by Alice.

Alice scrunched up her brow driving the stab of jealousy away, "She'll come to you when she's ready. You can't force somebody to."

Claire nodded, "Your right."

Jill contemplated murdering Carlos right now. He hadn't shut up since she had said yes – technically he hadn't shut up since they arrived – but that wasn't the point. Jill was relieved for a few seconds as Carlos took a step back or was more so moved out the way. The relief quickly dropped when she saw who had moved Carlos out the way – oh god some higher power was out to get her today –.

"Mind if I cut in?" He questioned taking Jill's hand quickly not even waiting for a reply.

Jill watched Carlos shrug before moving over to an awaiting yet disappointed look Rain – score one – Jill shook her head before looking up to the sandy blonde blue eyed man. "Are you serious? You ever think I might have enjoyed dancing with Carlos?"

Casper scoffed at that thought, "Yeah about as much as I'd enjoy dancing with Elmo…" he paused and thought that through for a few seconds, "Than again I probably would enjoy dancing with Elmo."

Jill shook her head holding back a snicker, "How do you do that?"

"Do what?" he asked making sure to keep his hand on Jill's side. Last thing he need was to lose a vital part of his anatomy.

"Continuously make jokes no matter the situation," Jill answered finally resting her right hand on his shoulder.

Casper playfully gave some thought to the question before looking down at Jill, "Years of practice." He replied sarcastically.

Jill chuckled at his answer, "So you practice to be that annoying? Couldn't have taken up a better hobby?"

"No there really wasn't anything else I enjoyed doing." He smiled before looking at Jill curiously and somewhat hurt, "Am I really that annoying?" Casper questioned with slight hesitancy, "I don't try to annoy you…" Casper gave some thought to that and with a snicker he corrected, "Well sometimes I do but that's only to get your attention." He admitted with a shrug.

Jill unknowingly smiled, "I'll tell you this now…it works every time you do it as all I want to do is throttle you."

Casper chuckled slightly, "So basically being annoying is not good for my life expectancy."

"Not really," Jill shook her head.

Casper danced with Jill for a few minutes in silence before deciding to say what he had been thinking ever since Jill arrived to the party with everyone else. "You look more than pretty tonight Valentine…you look," he pondered how to describe how she looked, he settled on two words, "Absolutely beautiful."

Jill looked down to the young man's shoes, giving her head a small shake to get rid of the blush creeping onto her face. "You know if you weren't nephew of the chairman of the Umbrella Corporation I'd murder you right now and get away with it considering I'd be able to drag your sorry ass out of here without anyone noticing, considering how lowly lit the room is."

"Well then," Casper smiled charmingly, "I guess my Uncle's position does come in handy."

Jill shook her head looking up at him, "Keep going and I'll kick your ass anyway."

"Now now Valentine watch your language," Casper chuckled earning a small flick to the ear. "Ouch," Casper said wincing slightly at the small amount of pain, "Okay I deserved that one." He agreed with a nod.

"You deserve a lot more than one," Jill murmured under her breath.

"I heard that," Casper said, grin plastered on his face.

Jill snickered, "You were supposed to."

Carter glared playfully at Jill, "Oooh your evil."

Jill shrugged half-heartedly a grin of her own on her face, "I know and proud of it too."

**Next chapter will give us some more answers on Umbrella Corp but not big answers. Hope you guy's enjoyed.**


	16. The Truth

**Hey guys I know it's been a while but I'm on holidays in America, yay me anyway I missed writing and this is definitely addictive. Thanks to everyone who have reviewed you guys make me want to keep writing and sorry I'll try to remember to spoiler alert next time. Anyway next chapter will have a lot more action, this chapter hasn't got as much character interaction on a romantic level as I kind of wanted to just get some of the storyline going anyway here it is. Also Slim14 re-read the previous chapter and hopefully you'll have your answer good luck and enjoy everyone.**

_I'll say it once,  
><em>_I'll say it twice,  
><em>_That your life was worth the price,  
><em>_Paid for you,  
><em>_Paid for me,  
><em>_And I believe in you and I know,  
><em>_You'll find the truth  
><em>**ZOEGIRL – The Truth**

**XXX**

"Now remind me why we're sneaking around? Don't you like own this place or something?" Carlos said in a slightly loud whisper while waving his hands around in the air for expression.

"Correction my Uncle owns this place and well…err…were playing ninja thief," Casper said deciding it was best to go with the first thing in his mind rather than coming up with something different.

"Really awesome…can I be Jack Sparrow?" Carlos asked now smiling widely and brightly as if he were a child in a candy store.

Casper turned to Carlos with disbelief – how could someone confuse Captain Jack Sparrow with a ninja – "Captain Jack Sparrow isn't a –" Casper's sentence was cut off by Jill's voice.

"Jack Sparrow perfect choice Carlos, just brilliant," Jill gave Carlos a fake smile as he moved away from the group pretending to be a ninja Jack Sparrow.

Casper crossed his arms turning to face Jill with an unhappy look on his face, "Jack Sparrow is not a ninja that is an insult to the man's pirateness."

"He's a fictional character," Jill said with disbelief that the guy could be taking it so hard.

"I..I..I can't believe you just said that." Casper shook his head, "Sacrilege." Casper shook his head once again before pivoting on his heel and following after Carlos.

"What the hell just happened?" Jill questioned looking towards Alice and Claire.

"I think you just insulted his super hero." Claire said with a mild shrug.

"Trust me Jack Sparrow is nowhere near his super hero…" Alice chuckled, "But if Jill ever found out what it was Casper would never hear the end of it."

Jill raised an eyebrow to this, "Really?"

Alice nodded with a grin on her face, "Oh yeah and it's not sponge bob."

Jill found this rather interesting – if it wasn't that damn yellow sponge thing that looked more like cheese who the hell was it then –. "Now you have to tell me."

Alice smirked at this, "Not really no rules say I have to." She shrugged turning and following her brother and Casper.

Jill turned to Claire, "I'll take you to the fair this week if you get her to spill."

At this Claire raised her eyebrows, "Cotton candy included?" She questioned.

"Drinks, candy, games, basically anything you can think off I'll buy." Jill said nodding towards Alice.

Claire squinted slightly, "Since your my girlfriend isn't it like a rule for you to invite me to the fair anyway?"

Jill frowned at the revelation, "Damn it."

Claire however smiled brightly, "Score one for the redhead."

"Huh?" Alice called back wondering what the frowning, smiling and talking between the two women was.

Claire turned to face Alice before shrugging, throwing a quick wink back over in Jill's direction before running to catch up with Alice.

Jill growled slightly, "Damn women." She barely whispered before jogging slightly to catch up with the group.

Alice rolled her eyes as she watched her brother roll from one doorway to another pretending to be a ninja or what he thought was a ninja. She often wondered how he couldn't be embarrassed by such things. If it were her she would probably…

"Ah shit!" Casper swore clutching his nose, while hunching over in pain.

Alice laughed – yep that's probably what would happen – with her luck she'd walk into a closed door, how? Well she wasn't sure how just as much as she was sure he wasn't sure how he did it.

"Damn door," he said while rubbing his nose, somewhat praying it wasn't bleeding.

"How do you walk into a closed door?" Claire questioned with actual confusion, "I mean it's just not possible."

Jill chuckled at that, "Claire I think he just proved how possible it is."

Casper pouted slightly before turning to face Carlos who was kneeling to the side of an office door. "Okay we get in and get out, find what we're looking for and leave." Casper stated giving the girls serious looks.

"Wait for me," Rain said tapping Claire's shoulder causing the woman to jump.

"I swear to god the next person who scares me is going to get flattened." Claire's said placing her hand over her heart in hopes it would stop the frantic beating.

Casper shook his head, "In and out you guys get it?"

Alice waved her hand, "Yeah, yeah get on with it."

Casper looked disbelieving for a second and was about to continue but decided against it. No matter how much he said something they'd always do the opposite. Rolling his eyes he turned back to face Carlos who was fiddling with the door knob trying to pick its lock but failing.

After a good five minutes of watching Carlos unsuccessfully pick the door's lock Jill spoke up, "What is he doing?"

"I," Carlos called out in a slightly loud voice, "Am trying to pick the lock, Casper taught me."

Casper shook his head in disbelief, "You don't just go telling people that."

"Look I don't care who taught who what just hurry it up." Jill said starting to get agitated with the prolonged waiting.

"Move," Casper ordered down to Carlos who quickly backed away from the door at the demanding tone in the man's voice. Casper moved in front of the door giving it a quick kick until it popped open with a loud thud as the door knob on the opposite side of the door connected with wall. "Ladies first," he bowed towards Jill while speaking sarcastically.

"Could you get any louder?" Jill asked refusing to take any of his nonsense.

Alice stepped up and in between the two before a fight could break out, "Look, how about we just do what we came here for?"

"Which is?" Carlos piped up. He had been watching the interactions while trying to pick the lock and even beforehand. This was no game, they really did seem eager to get into the office room, to eager.

"Which is what?" Alice turned slightly, just enough so she could see her brother.

"What are you guys really here for and don't lie to me I'm not an idiot." Carlos said crossing his arms.

Alice heard the scoffs from the other and inside herself she was chuckling at that but still he was her brother so she wouldn't laugh at his ridiculous statement. She wanted to tell him the truth but how much of the truth could she tell him? That was the problem; if she told him and something went wrong he'd be in just as much trouble as she was. Alice looked towards Casper who gave a shrug of his shoulders – well he wasn't much help –. Taking a deep breath Alice opened her mouth to answer.

"Were trying to find out why Umbrella tried to kill us last night," Rain piped in.

Alice let out a relieved sigh. Saved by Rain.

"Umbrella? Kill you? Last night?" Carlos looked at them weirdly before laughing, "I think that non-alcoholic drink has gone straight to your head."

"Were not joking Carlos," Claire said seriously towards Carlos.

"Then why didn't you just go to the police?"

"Listen to what you just said Carlos, this is Umbrella were talking about. The police can't do anything." Alice said finally deciding to speak up.

"Alice is right Carlos." Casper said barely above a whisper as he turned to face Carlos, "Umbrella will just sweep it under the rug, they will pay it to go away and next thing you know your face down in a ditch somewhere." Casper stepped up to Carlos, "They have ways of making you disappear I know Umbrella they don't take things like this lightly."

"Then what the hell are we doing sneaking around trying to take things from them?" Carlos asked raising his voice an octave as if it were to get his point across but the tone was cracking with each syllable showing his panic almost.

"It's not really taking…more like…" Casper paused looking for the right word.

"Viewing," Jill finished for him earning a careful consideration from the blonde before a nod.

"Yeah their…"

"Sharing their knowledge," Jill finished once again for Casper.

"Were technically…"

"Learning," Jill finished for a third time.

"Okay that's just getting creepy," Claire pointed out earning nods from Rain and Alice who were already giving Casper and Jill weird looks.

Jill rolled her eyes before stepping into the office room, "Whoa."

"Big huh," Casper stated with raised eyebrows once he had stepped inside the room.

"Holy crap what is this? The oval office?" Claire questioned with shock once she had stepped inside.

"Nah they call it the square office, which I have absolutely no idea why…I mean seriously the room is obviously a circle." Casper stated hands out for expression.

Alice laughed slightly at the conversation happening in front of her, one thing she knew about Casper was that his attention span was short. "Casper back to the reason where here."

"Oh right, over here," Casper nodded to a computer on a brown wooden jar rah desk at the end of the room.

"So your Uncle's office is…different." Rain said with slight hesitancy, it just didn't look like something the man would have, actually she never pictured Mr. Wesker as a desk man.

"It's not my uncle's," Casper corrected, "This office belongs to Dr. Alexia Ashford."

"Ashford? I've heard that name," Claire gave careful consideration to the name, knowing she had heard it before.

Casper nodded as he took his seat in the office chair, "She's the aunty of Angela, brother to Dr. Charles Ashford."

"Angela's involved?" Alice asked skeptical that the nice kid could in fact be involved; she was to quiet and shy to be involved. Thankfully Casper shook his head.

"Nah she was just born to the wrong family, that being said Charles would never let any harm come to his daughter." Casper spoke with complete seriousness and maybe some adoration in his voice. "Okay I'm on."

"What have we got?" Alice questioned reading over Casper's shoulder while Claire stood to his side, Jill reading over his opposite shoulder, with Rain standing on his opposite side while Carlos paced the room somewhat frantically.

"There are tons of files on Regenerate, and there's an encrypted file here." Casper said with confusion.

"Can you decrypt it?" Claire asked, glancing between him and the computer monitor.

"Hmm, perhaps, give me a sec." He tapped at the keyboard for a good thirty seconds before sighing frustratingly, "That file has some unique file encrypting in it."

"What do you mean by unique?" Rain asked hand on his shoulder.

"Well it has a ton of binary codes; this is going to be one tough bitch to crack." Casper stated, cracking his knuckles.

"Can it be done?" Jill questioned with a shuffle of her feet. She was a split second away from flattening the girl beside in front of her.

Casper spoke up immediately, "Can it be done? Yes, can it be done before we get caught? No." He confirmed.

"What's that file?" Claire asked pointing to yellow file on the screen.

"That's Regenerate," Casper answered double clicking on it to open it, "It's just a bunch of information."

"Test subject 32.F." Alice pointed at a particular document that had caught her eye.

"It's a media video," Casper corrected before double clicking on it bringing up the movie.

"That's just cruel," Claire commented watching as the pig was injected with the regenerate blue vile.

"That's Umbrella for you," Alice mumbled just loud enough for everyone to hear, "What about that one?"

"Test subject 34.D?" Casper questioned lightly earning a nod in response as he double clicked on the item.

"_Test subject 34.D" A middle age man spoke into the camera, back to it but voice loud enough to capture the viewer's attention. "Will be injected with the T-Virus, effects should take no longer than three hours to take effect if it takes longer the experiment is a failure." _

_The middle aged man in a lab coat moved around a metallic table riddled with injection tubes. He made his way over to a young woman who looked somewhat delirious. "Test subject 34.D injected at exactly," he flicked the needle twice before puncturing the skin in the neck with the needle before looking at his watch, "14:52 military standard time." He pulled a little on the handle and the blue liquid inside drained out of the vile. The man made his way back to the camera and the screen went black._

_Five seconds later and the screen returned this time a young looking doctor replaced the middle aged one from before, "Test subject 34.D has been under the influence of the T-Virus for a good three and half hours it seems it needs more extensive research." He sighed, "We seem to be missing something vital." He ran his right hand through his fuzzy brown hair, "Our benefactors won't be happy, they expected the Tyranny Virus a good fifteen days ago."_

_The man continued to rant as the young woman who had been injected before started to twitch, almost nerve like but too fast and too hard for it to be a nerve. The figure rose slowly before making its way over to the man sitting in front of the camera seemingly oblivious to what was happening behind him._

"_I think we have to accept the fact that Tyranny…Tyranny is a failure." He sighed just as the woman's arms latched around him and he jumped, he jumped nearly the height of the desk he was sitting in front of. The man moved to escape the young woman by running towards the door where the middle aged man from before was already starting to lock. "Open the door!" he called out the voice enhanced in the video footage, "Please open the door!" he yelled once again this time with more plead in his tone._

_The young woman latched onto the man again this time her teeth digging into the nape of the man's neck slowly tearing the flesh from bone. It took all of three minutes for the young man's screams to die and the groans and moans to fill the room. _

_The middle aged scientist from before released the lock on the doors before sending in two Umbrella security personnel's, both soldiers pulling the trigger on the young woman who was mauling the scientist. The man stepped inside making his way confidently and unfazed to the computer monitor._

"_Virus Tyranny has succe…" he paused looking only slightly to the side as if a reflection in the background had caught his attention but all that could be seen was the two security personnel scanning the rest of the room. _

_The middle aged man backed up out of the room once again, looking as if he was trying to keep his movements hidden, quiet and try to remain undetected. The door snapped shut once again, just as the young woman from before started rising once again, this time with bullet holes riddling her. _

_The middle aged man loosened his collar with a small tug before pivoting and leaving the video to capture nothing but the mauling of the soldiers as bullets flew throughout the laboratory, screams filling the speakers._

"What the hell was that?" Claire asked quietly as everyone else continued to stare at the screen, "I mean nobody gets up from that many bullet's better yet continues to walk around with that many bullets going into them."

"Why the fuck was she eating people?" Rain questioned her voice raised.

"Regenerate isn't a solution, it's a virus, it's a biological warfare virus, benefactors are terrorists." Alice remarked finally wrapping her head around it all.

"Guy's!" Carlos called out almost in a panic, "We have company."

"Shit," Casper swore shutting the computer off.

"I thought you shut down the security system?" Jill questioned.

"I did," he replied before pushing himself out of the chair and towards the door, "There's at least five, there'll be more soon. I knew this was a bad idea." He ran his own hand through his hair.

"We need a way out," Claire replied noticing Jill and Rain were still trying to comprehend the video and Alice seemed to be trying to comprehend what she had just found out. "Casper we need a way out."  
>"There is no getting out, were screwed. Capital fucking S." Casper said his tone raised higher than normal.<p>

Alice shook her head turning to Casper, "Claire's right. Casper a way out now!" she stepped up to him almost threatening.

"Loading docks, there's loading docks down at the south exit they leave every hour on the half." Casper said finally snapping out of his stupor.

"Show us," Alice ordered.

Casper nodded ordering everyone with a wave to follow him. He barely made it out of the door as the shouts echoed through the hall ordering him and the other's to stop and lie down on the floor. Casper jogged around the nearest corner coming to an immediate halt as FN 2000 were pointed at him and the other's just below eye level. A good twenty security personnel's circled them, "Well this couldn't possibly get worse."

**I put a little more Claire and Jill in this because well Claire still care's for Jill and they are together at the moment but don't worry Alice will win Claire's heart…or will she? Nah she will don't worry. Also I will include a chapter with them at the fair just not sure when, cause come on Alice winning Claire a teddy bear that says 'I love you' would just be adorable. Next chapter will hopefully be up in two or three days. Hope you guys enjoyed this.**


	17. Get Out Alive

**It's been a while but I plan on continuing to update this at least twice a week or once a week, basically whenever I can. Hope you guys enjoy this chapter.**

_If you want to get out alive  
>Whoa-oh, run for your life<br>If you want to get out alive  
>Whoa-oh, run for your life<br>__**Get Out Alive – 3 Days Grace**_

**XXX**

Alice panted and she wined down halls and passageways. She was carrying Claire military style over both shoulders, she wasn't really that heavy but after a good ten minutes running Alice found out it didn't matter whether she was heavy or not. Right after Casper had spoken everything had gone from bad to worse. As they had been walking down a hall they had all made a break for it, in completely different directions.

She had lost Jill, Casper, Carlos and Rain when they first split and during the whole commotion Claire had gotten shot by a stray bullet that had been aimed at her but that was Umbrella's poor shooting for you. Of course she was blaming herself for Claire being shot by her bullet but weakly Claire would tell her it wasn't her fault.

"Shit," Alice swore as she rounded another corner to find a guard knocked out, the same guard that she had found unconscious not five minutes ago.

"Alice put me down," Claire said weakly her breathing labored.

Alice abided and gently laid Claire down by a door, sliding quickly to grab the nine-millimeter before kneeling down beside Claire who was gripping her left shoulder in agony, blood seeping through her fingers at an alarming rate. Yet she shed no tears.

"Alice," Claire grabbed Alice's hand. She had been bleeding for a good few minutes now, and all she was doing was slowing down Alice.

"It's okay I'm here," Alice spoke calmly rubbing Claire's hand gently.

"Alice listen-"

"No damnit you listen to me," Alice swung around to face Claire her voice harsh but full of emotion and yet she wasn't shouting, "Don't you dare do that whole leave me here speech cause I ain't, I ain't leaving you here."

Claire nodded reluctantly yet still wanting Alice to just leave her.

Alice sat down quietly leaning her head against Claire's shoulder, "Can I ask you a question?" Before Alice even recieved an answer she sprung to her feet and kicked out at the figure that had just barely rounded the corner.

Casper barely had time to duck and roll out the way, barely missing Alice's leg and foot as he rolled to his feet. "Whoa take it easy," he said holding his hands in the air defensively.

Alice straightened herself out, "Sorry but you sneak up on someone and you're bound to be thought of as an enemy."

"Yeah well I wouldn't classify it sneaking, more like running." Casper shrugged before looking around Alice to Claire who was drifting in and out of consciousness. "What the hell happened to her?"

"She was shot," Alice said taking a step back to where Claire before kneeling down to the woman.

"Noticeable but how?" Casper asked with a raised eyebrow.

"A guard was trying to shoot me but his crappy aim ended up getting Claire," Alice shook her head as she gave Claire's shoulder a gentle shake, shaking the woman conscious. "Stay with me Claire."

"What the fuck happened to her?"

Alice quickly snapped to her feet gun pointed at the new intruder.

"You should be careful Valentine, someone's a little jumpy," Casper nodded towards Alice who was slowly lowering the gun.

"Now is not the time for jokes Casper," Alice spat giving Casper a slight push out the way before kneeling back down beside Claire.

"I'll repeat what the fuck happened?" Jill asked quickly walking over to Claire who was barely staying awake.

"She was shot," Alice said. Oh she could tell what was coming before she even let the sentence leave her mouth, "An Umbrella Guard was trying to shoot me but missed and got Claire instead."

Casper in a blink of an eye found Alice up against the wall with Jill's grip tight around Alice's collar. Scratching his head he glanced around his surroundings, now was definitely no time for them two to get into another fight.

Jill pulled Alice sharply of the wall before slamming her back into it, grip still tightened around the young woman's collar. "She was with you!" She yelled, "She was your damn responsibility." She ground out between clenched teeth.

"Don't you think I know that!" Alice yelled back giving Jill a shove.

Jill took a few steps back after being shoved before pointing poi tingly at Claire, "I don't think you know that look at her, she's barely conscious."

"Don't you think if I could I'd have taken that fucking bullet!"

Casper gripped his head, oh god he could feel a headache coming on and was actually somewhat surprised that no Umbrella Security guards had found them yet.

"What about stopping that bullet back at the mansion, why didn't you do it here? What only when it suits your needs do you perform miraculous feats!" Jill yelled once again.

"Your right I…"

"RUN!"

Casper, Alice and Jill all turned to face the occupant of the voice who was running down the hall, arms waving about in the air.

"Carlos where are yo…" Alice barely got that out as Carlos sprinted past her barely acknowledging her.

"I don't know about you but I'm with him," Casper thumbed back to the young man now rounding the corner at lightning speed.

"I've got Claire." Jill and Alice both spoke at the same time, both giving each other glares as Casper rolled his eyes.

"I've got red," Casper said gently picking Claire up as Umbrella guards rounded the corner that Carlos had been running from, "And right now running seems like a good idea."

Alice nodded aiming the nine-millimeter at the Umbrella Guards and firing. It was enough to distract the guards and force them to go to cover while she and the others backed up to make their escape down another hall.

"You know where you're going?" Jill asked as they turned down another hall.

"You want the truth?" Casper asked turning down another corridor.

"I don't know you tell me," Jill answered following the young man while hearing the final click in the barrel of the nine-millimeter.

"Right now…No you don't," he said continuing to sprint down halls, Claire slowly slipping out of consciousness. Casper rounded another corner and immediately came face to face with an MP5.

"Get down."

Casper, Alice and Jill acknowledged the order immediately and quickly ducked as rounds exploded from the MP5 taking out the remainder of the Umbrella guard group that had chased them.

Casper being the first to stand up looked between the dead guards and the young woman holding the MP5, "Damn Rain you got some ninja skills."

Rain stood up proudly, blowing the tip of the barrel off, the little bit of smoke getting carried away. "All in a days work."

"When you and lover boy are done, I'd like to know if you found away out?" Jill asked rather angrily as she stepped up beside Casper.

"And now would be a good time to answer," Alice spoke up before pointing to the guards rounding the corner at the furthest end of the hall.

"No now would be a good time to get the hell out of here." Rain corrected waving a hand for them to follow her as she dropped the empty MP5 on the ground.

Alice, Jill and Casper followed Rain through the winding halls, for a good five minutes this went on and Jill was starting to get frustrated and unsure that Rain actually knew where she was going.

"I swear we've passed this place before," Jill commented much to Alice's annoyance.

"This whole place looks the same how the hell would you know if we passed it," Alice sarcastically said rolling her eyes.

Jill stopped running, "Well I wasn't the one who got Claire shot now was I?"

Alice stopped and turned to face Jill, "Look damn it I know it's my fucking fault so will you drop it already! I can't go back and change it and it fucking pains me that I can't!"

"RUN!"

Casper and Rain both watched as Carlos shoved open a door that led outside to the back of Umbrella building.

"I don't know about you guys but I'm with him," Rain commented quickly following after Carlos.

Both Alice and Jill stopped their argument the moment bullets erupted from the Umbrella guards barely missing were Rain and Carlos had run out of.

"Move!" Alice ordered pushing Casper with Claire and Jill towards the door before following behind.

"Fire!"

That female voice was all Alice heard before both her and Jill where flung through the air, flames erupting from where the door had previously been. Alice took in her surroundings, blurred vision, ringing ears, pain searing headache, aching body. God she didn't remember getting into another fight with Jill.

Alice looked around to find Jill, looking not much better than her. Looking around once more as the ringing and blur disappeared and was instead replaced with the female voice ordering the Umbrella guards to find the occupants. Where the hell was Claire? She hoped Casper had gotten far enough away from the blast zone, or at least gotten Claire far enough away.

Alice looked down to her bloodied hands as Umbrella guards closed in, in their search. They were bloodied and scratched from the gravel beneath her when the bomb, grenade, rocket launched…she had no idea. But either way she had ended up skidding across the rocky gravel, grazing her badly.

Alice looked up from her hands to the screeching tires behind her as Umbrella guards shouted and made their way towards black Ford Falcon.

The door to the Ford Falcon was swung violently open and the voice ordered strictly and quickly in a manner that said; You want to survive you do as I say. "Get in!"

**Hope you guys enjoyed.**


	18. Danger

**Okay I re-read this story and found a few mistakes not many but I found them non-the-less so just to explain I will be updating every chapter before this and adding things to those chapters that I should have before to make them more discriptive and flow easier. To everybody that's reading this thank you guys, I want you to know that you are the reason I write.**

_Running away from the spotlights,  
>The vision of dreams becomes real,<br>I'm in the final race,  
>I've been framed,<br>I ain't guilty,  
>But now I'm serious case,<br>Pray for me,  
>The world's my enemy<em>  
><em><strong>Crack Jaw - Danger<strong>_

Alice didn't give it a second thought. Using grazed bleeding, pain filled hands she pushed herself to her feet before grabbing for Jill's right elbow assisting the young woman to her feet. Gravel was ripped up from it's roots in the ground and scattered with small parts of debris from other solid objects.  
>Jill groaned loudly allowing the blond to assist her in. Shots rang out around her as both herself and Alice scrambled for the black Ford Falcon. She could already spot Rain, Carlos, Casper and Claire through the back seat window in the inside the vehicle all crushed together in the backseat with a sprawled out unconscious Claire on top of them.<br>This got Jill's body working again, the sight of Claire made her push forward to the car jumping in first with Alice behind her it wasn't comfortable but with bullets flying in their direction neither argued.  
>As Alice slipped into the vehicle behind Jill she slammed the door shut behind her the glass shattering as a bullet impacted the window looking for it's intended target. It whistled above her and past the driver shattering the drivers window who turned to the two young women who had just slid into her vehicle.<br>"Hold on."  
>The driver slammed her foot down onto the accelerator, jolting the car forward and through the shambled docking bay. Yanking the steering wheel in any direction possible trying to avoid the larger chunks of debris.<br>Alice pushed herself upright in the seat staring out the windscreen as Jill sat up trying to get comfortable in the seat that was meant for one person but currently held two. The air was thick with tension as the car dodged debris and bullets.  
>"Watch it!"<br>The driver had heard the blonde haired man in the backseat and was quick to slam on the breaks before slamming into the front of an Umbrella Hummer that had skidded around the docking bays exit blocking their path. Shifting the gears into reverse the driver placed her arm across the back of the passenger seat and looked over her should before once again slamming down on the accelerator proppelling the car backwards. The Hummer shifted charging after the retreating Ford Falcon.  
>The same motions where repeated backwards as they were forward; winding and weaving between debris the driver spun the car around in the largest opening she could find. Back to the closing Umbrella Hummer the gears were shifted once again and the car responded to its orders to move forward.<br>Carlos glanced out the back windshied as an Umbrella Security Agent leant out of the Hummer with an MP5 pointed in their direction. Carlos ducked just as shots rang out. Rain ducked head between her knees and arms resting above her head, to her this was the position she was planning on staying in until the whole ordeal was over. Casper on the other hand shot forward covering Claire.  
>"Were losing petrol!" Jill noted on the indicator on the dashboard.<br>Carlos lifted his head as the car continued forward, "You better think of something fast their closing in!"  
>"Hold on!" it was the only reply they received from the driver as she yanked the wheel to the right and continued onwards towards a a stack of wood that looked like a makeshift ramp.<br>The car reached two hundred kilometers and continued climbing. The driver pulled out her lighter flipped it open and as the car barrelled up the makeshift wooden ramp and into the air she gently tossed the lighter out and onto the ramp igniting it instantaneously catching the Umbrella Hummer that sped head first into the flames by surprise.  
>The car went over the fence and landed on a paved gravel road with a loud crash as a loud boom rocketed the ground shaking it to it's core, a small mushroom of fire erupting behind them; the Umbrella Hummer dealt with.<br>The occupants in the car relaxed as the driver shifted the gears one last time and skidded around a corner taking of down the empty streets without so much as a look back. Alice watched the calm demeanoured woman for a few seconds, identical in everyway but not the same; this wasn't her, there was a difference - she could never see herself falling for this woman.  
>"We've got a lot to talk about Claire."<p>

**It's short but I'm getting into the flow once again. We won't be getting all answers but I will clear something up in the next chapter. Hold in there I promise I'll have this done before christmas if I can help it. Thank you to everybody and good to have you back RockChick11.**


	19. Cause' You Like Me Better

**Okay it's been a long wait but I have a perfect explanation I'm actually in the middle of writing a book, I'll give more details once I'm close to finishing and I have a publisher which should be sometime by the end of March or April.  
>Either way I took to heart what ShadowCub reviewed about paragraphs and I agree I just didn't know Fanfiction wasn't doing it automatically like they used to.<br>To Bookworm-Gurl I took to heart what you said about Carlos and whilst I do agree the story needed some humor but I promise Carlos will become more of an ass kicker as the story progresses while keeping with humor.  
>To Alisonisnevertofargone (Nice Username :)) Thanks for the review it makes me happy to know people enjoy it.<br>To the person who wrote in as Guest. Thanks that comment really made me smile.  
>To the person who wrote in as Erica thanks for the review and don't worry about what you have and haven't watched as I watched them all in different orders. I think I watched Extinction first than Afterlife than Apocalypse than the First Once than Retribution.<br>To WolfMadMax (Lol spent a little while separating Wolf/Mad/Max) Thanks for the review and I have the story ending planned out but I'll give some thought to having Casper having the super powers as well thanks it's good to know my Original Characters have people taking notice of them and caring about them.  
>To everybody who read but didn't review or favorited or alerted. Thanks for just reading, favoriting and alerting just knowing you guys keep coming back for more makes me happy. Also for the song I might use it more than once as it works for Jill and Casper a lot but also for the other couples but mostly for Jill and Casper.<strong>

_Hey, thanks for the number  
>I'm not gonna call you<br>'Cause that won't work  
>You like to play hide-and-go-get-her<br>You like me better when I play the jerk  
><em>_**Bad Enough For You - All Time Low**_

**XXXX**

Alice waited for the car to roll to a stop just of the side of the road on the grass just a few miles outside of the city. Her first thoughts when the car finally pulled to a stop was piling out of the vehicle before yanking open the back door to check on Claire who was sprawled out over Casper's lap.

Jill clambered out just as quickly ignoring the aches and pains of being crushed together beside Alice. A glance at Claire made her stomach clench at the blood trickling out of the bullet wound slowly turning the material a reddish brown.

"By the looks of it, it's not a through and through." The oldest Claire stated yanking open the opposite door to the back of the car. "My apartment isn't far from here, five minutes most."

Casper looked from the hand squeezing the car inside door handle to the woman the hand belonged to. Alice's pupils had dilated before she closed them tightly wavering a little at the sudden onslaught of pain that had forced it's way into her head, something Casper had seen on numerous occassions and never once had it actually turned out to be a good thing. From what he had seen it usually meant loss of control.

Turning to the older Claire, Casper relayed Alice's words for the young woman. "Your going to want to halve that time."

Jill pushed past Alice helping pull Claire out of Casper's lap. Looking over her shoulder she regarded Alice with hardened emotions. "Your going to want to hope she lives."

Alice felt her left eye twitch as the pain returned but with surprising restraint Alice took a step back away from Jill and Casper who were gently trying to pull Claire out without injuring her anymore than she already was.

**XXXX**

Three minutes later and Alice found herself alone and hunched over the older Claire's sink whilst the rest of the group worked on fixing Claire as best they could. Looking up into the mirror she found herself confronted with her reflection a reflection that was starting to scare her more and more with each passing day.

_"Well this couldn't possibly get worse." Casper commented.  
>Alice wanted to slap the young man up the head the moment the comment left his mouth, nothing good ever came out of saying something like that. It usually condemed you to something worse or was pratically asking for something worse to come along and take presendence.<br>Alice ducked along with the rest of the hostages as Casper shot out taking out one of the guards quickly before pulling the pin on the purple smoke grenade hooked into the security personnels belt before kicking the man away.  
>"Run!" Casper shouted as the grenade exploded in a flurry of purple encompassing the surrounding occupants.<br>Alice reacted pulling Claire down one path as Casper ran down another, Jill and Rain down another and Carlos in another direction as bullets ran out amongst the halls ricocheting of walls. Alice felt Claire's hand slip from hers and the strangled cry leave her lips as the auburn haired woman collapsed to the ground._

Alice clenched her eyes closed against the sudden rush of memories. That was not a sound she would ever forget.  
><em>Jill's right. <em>Alice's eyes snapped open to see her reflection staring back at her. _Claire getting shot. _Her pupils dilated dramatically. _All of everything happening is my fault. Damn my curiosity to hell. _Alice turned her face from the smashing of glass in front of her before turning back to find the cracked glass of a reflection staring back at her.

Looking down at her hands she silently began to ponder over everything that had been happening lately. _Did it have something to do with Umbrella? That much in her life she was certain of.  
><em>  
>"Everything okay?" Casper questioned leaning inside the doorway crossing his arms across his chest almost looking defiant but the scratchy look across his face showed he was concerned.<p>

"Fine," Alice nodded with a small smile hoping to belay any inquiries.

"The mirror is telling me a different story."

Alice cringed. "I don't know," a look in his direction and his features switched from concerned to stoic. "Honestly I really don't know, one moment I'm fine next I'm getting splitting headaches that make my head feel as if it's about to implode." Alice finished giving a look of pleading to Casper in a hopes he would just change the subject for the moment. Hell she had yet to understand what was going on with her, she couldn't explain it yet.

With a nod Casper stood straighter thumbing back to the living room where Claire had been placed on the couch to be tended too. "Claire's going to be fine, CC has just finished masterfully skilled surger-no she really sucked at surgery but she removed the bullet and bandaged Claire up enough that I think she's going to be fine."

"CC?"

"Clone Claire."

"Really?"

Casper shrugged, "You got another explanation for the nearly identical Claire Redfield sitting on the couch?"

Alice stepped up to Casper and took a peek around him and the doorway corner to the aurburn haired woman sitting next to Claire tentatively stroking the younger ones hair. Pulling back to look at Casper she shrugged, "I've got nothing."

"You don't seem so surprised to see her?" Casper questioned with a squint in her direction.

Alice had seen that face more than once before, on police procedural dramas were the cop interrogates the suspect and doesn't believe the answer their being told. "I met her at the open day."

Casper nodded solemnly before nodding towards Claire and the older one. "I think it's time to have some questions answered don't you."

Alice nodded in agreement before making her way over to the group, Casper in tow. She took her seat on the coffee table across from the two Claire's giving time to take in the appearance of the young woman whose bandage was starting to soak with blood.

"She's going to be fine." The older Claire spoke slipping out from underneath the younger version of herself to be replaced by Jill. "I've got IV's if she doesn't wake up, her body will eventually want to replace the fluids and if she doesn't do it physically I'll have to use them." Claire stared at Alice for a few more seconds before nodding in the direction of her kitchen. Making her way to the kitchen she heard Alice rise and follow behind and felt Casper bringing up the rear behind her. "I'm guessing you want answers as to how I'm standing here and a younger version is lying with a bullet in her shoulder over there?"

Casper leant back against a wall whilst Alice stood in the middle of the kitchen the older Claire by the sink. His rebuttal was stoic with no emotion, so deadly plain that Alice shuddered. "It's a start."

"Your Uncle, Albert Wesker." Claire shook her head with a despising grin on her face, "He's a genius. Regenerate isn't what it seems."

"What do you mean?"

"It's a virus, it kills you."

"Keep talking," Casper urged.

Claire looked between the two young adults standing in her kitchen. "When you inject yourself with the T-Virus it injects T-Cells into your body. These cells replicate and continue to do so converging with your body cells until they've taken over, until they've overlapped your DNA strand to create an identical one all on it's own. This identical DNA strand continues to replicate and produce these T-Cells."

With a quick look over to Casper she returned her gaze to the older Claire. "What exactly are these T-Cells."

"A disease. A monster. A nightmare. Whatever you want to call them. Either they mutate and cause you to be both dead and alive. It raises the dead."

Casper shook his standing up straight, "It's impossible the dead can't be raised their cells are dead, dried up and even if they weren't you couldn't get the heart started again."

"These cells replicate a lot quicker and more efficiently in a dead environment. With Regenerate our bodies don't need the heart to live they just need the brain." Claire corrected.

"Why would my Uncle do this?"

"Money, power, control, I don't know but I do know that your Uncle plans to sell it to the Russians, American's, Chinese, Japenese, English, you name the country he'll sell it to them."

Alice shook her head holding out her hand to stop the conversation. She was still trying to wrap her head around walking dead, _too many zombie films Alice_. "Okay say this is real," Alice continued with her disbelief "Our government knew of it's properties and yet their still allowing it to continue?"

"Our government believes that what the Umbrella Corp is selling to the public is really just an anti-aging product but what their buying of the Umbrella Corp is their means to peace away from Russia."

"War, makes us do stupid things." Casper whispered to himself before lifting his gaze of his shoes to the older Claire. "How exactly does our government intend to explain this. Better yet how do they intend to control this, I mean they have to have a contingency in place if something goes wrong here. Let's face it selling bio-weapons isn't the most loyal occupation in the world."

"There's a cure."

Alice's head snapped up towards the older Claire from where it had been staring into the loungeroom at the younger Claire who looked peaceful lying in Jill's lap being stroked lovingly. Squishing down the jealousy Alice inquired, "Cure?"

"Of course!" Casper exclaimed loud enough for them to hear but soft enough that it wouldn't gain the attention of any of the occupants in the living room. "Umbrella Corp sells it to America to use against Russia, sell it to Russia to use against America" Casper watched as the older Claire nodded at him "Sell it to the Japanese to use against the Chinese and the Chinese to use against the Japanese and so on."

Alice shook her head again, "Still doesn't explain why they'd create a cure."

Casper answered for Claire. "For control, they want to make sure they can control it if it gets out of hand." Earning a nod from the older woman he continued, "And nobody's going to buy a virus without a cure in case of a terrorism attack in their own country. That's their contigency." Casper withdrew from the two women in front of him thinking to himself as he considered out loud. "But it's not possible if the DNA strand is replicated and merged their would be no way to cure such a thing."

"He's right," Claire nodded her accent. "The cure doesn't work after a while and once you've been injected with the virus you have to continue using the cure if prolonged you begin to lose brain functions and only become aware of the need to feed."

Alice cringed inwardly but asked the question she was dreading to. "Feed?"

"They become obsessively hungry."

"Answer the question," Casper forced tersely.

Turning to the young man she answered. "Flesh. Any but mostly they become attracted to human flesh."

"Like a zombie," Casper snorted in disbelief. "Your screwing with me right." Holding his arms out he started shuffling towards Alice moaning and groaning until she was within reach, grabbing her he brought he close to him preparing to start biting her arm but was pushed away by a laughing Alice. Turning to the older woman he laughed himself. "What's next my Uncle's cloning dinosaurs with frogs DNA. Real life Jurassic Park." Hysterically he cried out softly to Alice, "Run T-Rex is after us." Alice laughed harder holding in most of the noise.

"Knock it off I'm serious," Claire ordered seriously.

Both Alice and Casper stopped laughing looking worriedly at the older Claire. Casper broke the silence first, "I don't know which is scarier. The fact this might be true or the fact you believe what your saying."

Alice snorted out a small amount of laughter but reigned in the rest before holding out her hands in surrender to the older woman. "Okay say it's true, this doesn't explain you. Identical in all ways to Claire."

"I don't know which is weirder the fact I think your a tad bit hotter than young Claire Redfield or the fact I think Claire's hot at all." Casper questioned confusion on his face. "Ouch!"

Alice smacked him upside the head before turning to face the older Claire again. "Can you explain that?"

"No I can't. That is something I can't explain."

"What makes you think we should believe you?" Casper asked.

"I haven't lied to you so far, this sounds crazy I know-"

"You think."

Claire shot Casper a glare before continuing "-however it's all true. I don't know how to stop it but I'm going to try as best I can. You can help or you can walk away but I can't promise Umbrella won't come after you after tonight's fiasco."

"Where teenagers what could we possibly do?"

"Anything, everything."

All three occupants attention turned to the younger Claire leaning against the doorway Jill beside her and Carlos and Rain beside her. They each looked determined and Alice thought to herself that she hadn't ever seen Carlos so determined as he looked right now. He looked down right focused and pissed at everything that had happened but then again getting shot at could definitely wisen,straighten and grow people up. _I wonder how long it'll last _Alice thought to herself as she took in Claire's profile.

She was pale, white as a bleached sheet. Her knees where buckled underneath her, the doorway holding up what her legs couldn't which was the majority of her weight. Her hair was mussed and all over the place which Alice thought looked rather adorable. Her clothes with twisted and crinkled, she looked a mess - a cute mess but a mess nonetheless. _How could I let something so horrible happen to somebody so beautiful _Alice chastised herself once again.  
>"We can try Claire," Jill prodded. She knew she was in the moment the bullets flew with Claire or not but at the same time she didn't want Claire injured but it wasn't her decision to make.<p>

"I'm done sitting on my ass, I want to know why the hell I'm here and yet I'm over there. Why they shooting at us. Why your Uncle is so damn secretive. Why everything that's been happening has been revolving around the Umbrella Corp. I wanna know what their up to and plus I owe somebody a bullet." Claire retorted with a nod in her older persona's direction. "You've got my vote I'm in."

"Me too." Alice nodded not taking her eyes away from Claire.

"Same here." Jill nodded her accent.

"Count me in." Rain raised her hand with a small shrug she added, "I felt badass holding that gun."

Casper chuckled lightly under his breath.

"Me three." Carlos put in with a nod.

All eyes turned to Casper who looked reluctant to throw the so called two bits worth in. Alice noticed he seemed to seriously be considering this. It wasn't like they were asking him to shoot anybody although she was quite sure that wouldn't make a difference considering he killed someone in cold blood by snapping their neck military style - something she made a note to herself to ask him about later.

"I understand if your reluctant this is your Uncle were talking about and I have no idea how far Umbrella's willing to go to cover their tracks but so far it seems pretty far."

Casper stared ahead of him ignoring the occupants in the room. How far was his Uncle willing to go to prove himself right? How far to domineering? How far to was he willing to go for control? For power? For money? _What have you done Uncle _was his last thought as he looked away from oblivion. From the questions. From the answers that he refused to allow to haunt him. From the truth of knowing how far his Uncle would go. "Don't worry about me. I'm in."

Claire nodded gratefully in his direction before turning to the teenagers," I have to go out but I have a couch that turns into a bed, my bed and a spare bedroom, get some sleep I'll return with breakfast."

Alice watched the woman retrieve a set of keys from the hook before picking up a motorcycle helmet from a side table. She had been right when she assumed the Harley outside had belonged to the woman.

Claire spoke up first, "I'll pair up with Alice."

Alice waited for the rebuttal to come from Jill and when none came Alice eagerly agreed moving towards Claire to help the young woman to her still buckled legs and away from the wall, once again taking the young woman's weight upon herself.

"I'll pair up with Ji-Rain." Casper corrected at the look on Jill's face, "I was gonna say Rain." He continued.

"Why not go girl girl, guy guy?" Jill questioned not liking the idea of Casper and Rain in the same bed.

"Cause it's okay for girls to share beds but I'm a guy and I don't share beds with guys. But if you don't want to share a bed with Carlos your welcome to share with me and Rain." He smirked giving a quick wink in Jill's direction before taking Rain by the elbow and leading her to living room.

Jill glared following him with her eyes, her glare worsening when it landed on Rain. Now she'd be stuck with thoughts on both Casper and Rain and what the two were up too for the rest of the night now. God if she heard giggling late at night she was going to murder somebody, there was a baseball bat around here somewhere if she was correct in seeing it before but even if she wasn't she still had her hands.

**XXXX**

Jill followed along quietly behind Alice and Claire who were slowly making it to the bedrooms across from one another. Looking between the two rooms Jill nodded to the one with the Queen sized double that looked way more comfortable than the double in the other room. "You and Claire take that room."

"I'll be fine Jill I'm not going to die if I sleep in an uncomfortable bed." Claire piped up hoarsely.

"Be that as it may be but you have been shot and you need a better rest so no arguments." Jill looked towards Alice a silent plead for the woman to help her out.

Alice moved her hand from around Claire's waist to her uninjured shoulder giving it a small squeeze. "Jill's right you need your rest a lot more than the rest."  
>Claire nodded smiling weakly towards Jill before shuffling to hug the black haired woman, "Thank you." Claire whispered and when she pulled back she could feel the parting. It was a parting hug, not a goodbye hug but a better of friends hug. One that told her it was okay to go on, that the person returning the hug was okay with the end. It was the hug that told her that Jill knew she stood no chance, there was nothing anymore, <em>had there been anything in the first place? <em>Claire liked to think so. Yes at some point she cared for Jill. Cared. She didn't love Jill not the way she was slowly falling for Alice, not the way Jill deserved it.

Jill nodded turning to Carlos before pushing the young man into the room with a sigh of disbelief at the situation she found herself in. She silently clicked the door shut behind her flipping on the light switch and illuminating the room in artificial light. "Which side do you sleep on?"

"Any it don't matter to me," Carlos shrugged removing his jacket and shoes before pulling back the covers and sliding under.

Jill nodded removing her own shoes flicked the light off regretting turning it on in the first place as it was a waste of energy. Moving over to the bed she pulled back her side and slipped under the covers, she was grateful Carlos took the left side she really didn't have the energy to argue with him that she prefered the right side of the bed.

Jill laid there looking into the thick black darkness waiting for eyes to adjust while millions of thoughts ran through her head. _Umbrella Corps. Claire. Alice. Older Clone Claire. Guns. Bullets. Blood. Death. Explosion. Casper. _That last one had her thinking about the sandy blonde haired man with a faux hawk nestled in beside Rain. _Argh! your going to drive yourself crazy Valentine _Jill chastised with a sigh.

"You really think Umbrella is capable of killing just for money?" Carlos asked breaking the silence.

It looked like she wasn't the only one thinking things over. "I don't know before all of this I would have said no." Jill folded her hands on her stomach, this was the first real conversation she had with Carlos that didn't seem like it held any pretense of flirting. "Now" Jill drew out the silence for a little while thinking over recent events, "Now I'm not so sure. I do know something-"

"Yeah and what's that?" Carlos questioned barely above a whisper as he too laid staring into the darkness hands by his side.

"Umbrella won't take us or the world without a fight." Jill reached over and squeezed Carlos's hand more for her own sake than her own. She hoped she was right, she hoped they could fight Umbrella and even if they couldn't she wasn't going down without at least trying.

Carlos squeezed the hand in return before it withdrew, "You know you could have argued to sleep with Casper instead."

Jill did a double take at the change of subject. "Huh? What? Excuse me?"

Carlos chuckled, "I do notice things. When you two where dancing it was the happiest I had seen you that night, when you two are arguing you seem so passionate about what your saying as if you wished he would hang on everyone of your words." Carlos paused turning onto his side to look at Jill, "Did you ever stop and think for a second why you know longer cared that my sister could take Claire away from you." Carlos paused letting his words settle in with Jill, "Your falling out of love and falling back into it all over again but with someone new-"

Was it possible? Was she really falling for Casper Wesker? Nephew of the Albert Wesker owner of Umbrella Corps? Jill replayed every action and detail since Alice had come onto the scene and Casper had started hanging around more often. Was it possible?

"-I just wonder. Did you ever really love Claire?" Carlos questioned turning back over onto his back with shrug he rolled over back to Jill. "Either way, night Jill." He shut his eyes and tried to blank his mind by counting sheep in a hopes to fall into the bliss of oblivion.

Jill laid there staring at the dark ceiling. Did she love Claire? _No you didn't Jill. Cared? Yes. But loved? No. _Jill thought _Alice gave you an escape a chance to try to make yourself happy. Claire deserves love and you couldn't give it to her but Alice can and now you can be happy too. _Was it really that simple? Had he been there all along?

So many question and not many answers but one thing she did know is 1) Umbrella truly wasn't going down without a fight from her 2) Alice was her way out 3) Carlos was right 4) She was going to find out exactly how much Casper meant to her one way or another.  
>With a small smile she closed her eyes, "Goodnight Carlos."<p>

**XXXX**

Casper made the bed up on the couch with the assistance of Rain before shrugging of his jacket and slipping of his shoes so he was only in his socks before slipping under the covers taking the closest side to the door. If anyone broke in he wanted to be sure he was the first person the assailant got to.

"I'm sorry about your Uncle." Rain said slipping off her shoes and slipping under the covers pulling them over her to keep the chill out of the air.

"I always thought my Uncle was a little crazy but this. This is so far gone it's not funny." Casper chuckled a little, "Okay it is a little. I mean zombies come on."

"Would you have felt better if it was T-Rex and mini baby dino's running around?" Rain asked with her own chuckle.

Casper shrugged undoing his belt before dropping it onto the floor with a clatter. "Would have made more sense than zombies don't you think?"

Rain nodded turning on her side to face Casper. "Honestly though, if your Uncle is involved in all of this I'm sorry."

"My Uncle loves me that much I do know. He tries to show it but he's always away, I suspected he was up to something illegal with his Corporation but - Zombies! I'm still trying not to laugh at how ridiculous that sounds." Casper laughed hollowly.

Rain reached across the expanse grasping Casper's hand, "If this turns out bad, I just want you to know I'm here if you ever need to talk about anything. Anything at all okay?"

Casper nodded rolling over onto his side to face Rain. "Thanks it means a lot to know I have a friend looking out for me."

"Anytime," Rain smiled. _Could she do that to Jill? Was it even possible to fall in love with someone who has someone already in love with them? _Rain thought to herself as she looked into the dark blue eyes with tinges of grey that reminded her of stormy nights. _It doesn't matter how many people love somebody - him it matters who he chooses in the end, it matters who makes the first move in the end.  
><em>  
>"We should get some sleep," Casper spoke turning onto his back.<p>

Rain nodded turning onto her back also. For a few minutes the living room was silent with only the howling of wind to break the silence and the creaks of a house settling. Eventually Rain wiggled her toes when the cold started settling into the bones. Her whole body ached but her toes where freezing.

After a few minutes Casper whispered above the shuffling of sheets. "You okay?"

Rain grumbled out her response, "My toes are cold."

She sounded whiny, something that was ridiculously cute he thought as he chuckled and sat up in the bed taking the covers with him.

"Hey!" She exclaimed trying to pull the blankets back, "Don't let the cold in."

With a laugh he slipped the socks of his feet before pulling them free from the blanket and waving them around in front of Rain. "Put these on," he eventually said throwing them towards Rain.

"You sure?"

"Positive." He nodded laying back down. "Plus," he added with a mischievous smirk "if my feet get cold you can warm them with yours but it'll require you to be extra extra close." He winked closing his eyes.

Rain slipped the last sock on with a smirk of her own in place as she layed back down on her side facing Casper who opened one eye to peek at Rain who was staring straight back. She watched as he closed his eyes with a smile on his face. _If Jill was too stupid to realize she loved Casper than it was her loss and my gain _Rain smiled to herself and closed her own eyes slipping quietly and easily into the peaceful slumber known as sleep.

**XXXX**

Alice returned from the bathroom to the side opposite the door in which Claire had been forced to find comfort in after Alice reasoned that if anyone came into the room she was better capable of defending them. Handing Claire the glass of water she waited for the aurburn haired woman to drink at least half before taking it and placing it on the bed side table.

Alice rounded the bed slipping out of her shoes and under the large comfortable warm blankets next to Claire. This was one of her fantasies being in bed beside Claire, of course during them neither were injured in anyway shape or form. "You okay?" Alice asked pulling the blankets up further over Claire.

"I'm fine," Claire answered with a small smile in Alice's direction. "You?"

"I'm perfect now your better."

"Your such a smooth talker."

Alice smiled and shrugged, "I try."

Claire chuckled coughing slightly at the sharp stab of pain, "God don't make me laugh."

Alice frowned at the coughing. She felt guilty for Claire's misfortune. Damn her curiosity. Damn her persistance.

Claire noticed the frown on Alice's face and reached for the Alice's hand as best she could. "Hey this wasn't your fault. It was a mishap in the chaos of purple smoke." Claire chuckled, "Purple smoke. God I must sound and look like I'm on something."

Alice let out a small laugh, "You look beautiful."

Claire gave a weak smile. "See smooth talker."

"I'm sorry."

Claire shook her head and firmly stated, "Alice you listen to me. I'm going to say this once and only once got it?" She waited for the nod from the other lady before continuing, "This bullet." She pointed with her good arm at the wound that had stopped bleeding, "Is not your fault. It's Umbrella's. Got it?"

Alice shook her head, "I had you I should have protected you."

Claire shook her own head, "And then what have me feeling bad about having you shot? This might be selfish but I'd rather take being shot over feeling crap about having done nothing to protect you."

Alice grinned at that. "Your right it is selfish."

Claire shrugged herself, "So? Sue me?"

"Well not exactly what I was thinking about using to get you back," Alice added with a wag of her eyebrows in Claire's direction.  
>Claire laughed wholeheartedly coughing every now and then.<p>

"I don't know whether I should be offended that you laughing at my advances or worried about your coughing." Alice commented dryly with a pout on her face.

Claire's laughter finally died down as she squeezed Alice's hand. "Sorry, sorry I'm not laughing at your advances-" at the disbelieving look on Alice's face Claire gave in, "Okay yes I was laughing but it was mostly the eyebrow wiggle that did me in honestly." She watched the pout form once again on Alice's face. "Your adorable when you pout you know that right? Better yet your sexy when you pout and if I weren't injured right now I'd take you up on your advances."

Alice smiled as Claire held onto the hand more tightly as she rolled over back to Alice bringing Alice closer and the arm around her. Alice snuggled in tightly behind Claire. "What are you doing?" Alice whispered in Claire's ear.

Claire smiled shutting her eyes, "Feeling safe. Do you mind?"

"No." Alice shook her head, "You make me feel safe to. As if nothing could possibly go wrong, as if nothing could hurt me."

"Really?"

Alice nodded, "Really Claire. I like you and I mean I like like you, like a lot."

Claire giggled. "Alice I kinda figured but it's nice to hear it."

Alice mumbled and agreement breathing in the strawberry scent of Claire's hair before speaking up. "I like saying it."

A few moments passed in silence before Claire interrupted. "I like you a lot too Alice."

Alice snuggled closer if it was possible. She swore that not even paper could fit between them they were that close that she didn't even think the air in the room was passing between them. "I know, but it's good to hear you say it."

"And your right-"

"Hmm?" Alice mumbled into Claire's hair dazed, "What about?" Alice asked tiredly.

"It's good to say it." Claire smiled backing into Alice a little more, "Goodnight Alice."

Alice snuggled closer into Claire. This was perfect she was warm impossibly so. "Goodnight Claire." She let sleep overcome her, letting her body rejuvinate for the fight ahead of them. For the sleepless nights she was sure to be facing. But here with Claire wrapped securely in her arms she slept peacefully and undisturbed for the first time in her life. This she was positive could be nothing less than love. _Hmph. Love. Who woulda thought Abernathy? _

**A long chapter. I have to admit I enjoyed writing this. I had planned on writing something completely different for this chapter but as I was writing this sought of just flowed out into my typing and by the end of the chapter this was presented.  
>Also I'm planning on writing an EmilyJJ (Criminal Minds) Fic or a Rizzoli/Isles (Rizzoli&Isles) Fic or maybe both what do you people think? Which one - or both in one Fic.  
>Hope you guys like and once again to all my reviewers thanks you guys are what inspires me and to all my silent readers I hope you guys also enjoyed this chapter.<strong>


	20. Perfect Moment

**Okay a very long wait. Sorry but my muse refused to work so I set about changing that and kicked it into gear so hopefully I didn't disappointment. Also thank you to every reviewer, favoriter and follower you guys and girls rock. Also come on people 8 reviews too a hundred. **

_I met you once before the first time  
>Cinema 1 or 2, I noticed you<br>Standing in line, your eyes met mine  
>And I could not look away<br>There we were in a perfect moment  
>A perfect moment in time<br>__**Perfect Moment by Art Garfunkel**_

**XXX**

_Snap. Bang. Crack. Crash. Pop. Bang. SHIT! - Giggle._

Alice shot upright from the bed taking the sheets and blankets with her causing a groaning Claire to grasp at white material both thick and thin, trying her best to pull it back over her. Looking towards the red LED lights on the alarm clock next to her she read the the number clear eyed and wide awake from the noise. 5:02 a.m. just as the clocks two switched over to three she heard the noise once again this time louder and lot more objects making noise.

_Bang. Clutter. Giggle. SHIT!_

Alice recognized Casper's voice, the giggle however was lost to her. Although it had a hint of Rain's accent behind it. Wiping a hand over her face she relaxed her tensed shoulders, not having realized they had been tense in the first place.

_Tugging. Bang. Tugging. Crack. Crash. Tugging. SHIT! - Giggle. Tugging. ALICE!_

Alice snapped her attention to the auburn haired young woman beside her, who was tugging on the sheets and blankets trying to force them up to her neck while snuggling further into the bed.

"I swear to god Alice if you don't lie down I'm going to kick you out of bed and your taking the couch." Claire grumbled in a husky sleep ridden voice.

Alice chuckled softly before laying back down on her side to face Claire who shuddered at the now cold bedding. Where Claire was cold Alice could only feel warmth, her body temperature was perfect and yet she knew it was coming on winter and winter in Raccoon City meant snow and a hell of a lot of snow and juding by her exhaled breathing condensating in the thin air, the temperature was definitely cold.

Alice reached over and wrapped her arm around a groggy and sleepy Claire pulling the young woman closer to her own body. "I bet you never said or did that to Jill," Alice whispered once Claire was close enough.

"Wanna bet?" Claire challenged with one blurry eye open. "After the third or fourth time she found herself falling from bed face down onto the ground below and found herself enveloped in the cold morning air after dragging the sheets away from me whilst sleeping-" Claire smirked mischievously "-lets just say she got the message."

Alice laughed out loud picturing the Jill Valentine arms flailing, falling, a silent scream and then thud as she would hit the ground and find herself either staring at the floor or staring at the ceiling. Alice laughed again at the picture stopping to silently chuckle when Claire pinched her sides with an amused look on her face.

"I'll tell you now," Claire stated. "I hate waking up in the morning to cold air and if it happens you will find yourself on the couch and if you so happen to forget it during the night and pull the blankets away you will find yourself making friends with the floor."

Alice pulled Claire even closer before wagging her eyebrows once again earning a small chuckle from the young woman. "What happens if I promised an instant warmth for my misdemean's?"

"Depends what you have in mind?" Claire questioned suggestively.

Alice leant in too kiss Claire.

_Bang. Clutter. Crash. SHIT! - Giggle. Pop. Bang._

Alice and Claire shot apart at the sudden onslaught of noise. Glancing around the room for the source that they knew both emanated from the kitchen. The next thing they heard was the door across from them opening and a loud voice.

"Would you two shut the fuck up! Seriously what the hell could you two possibly be doing? Even then how many things could you possibly need that would make that much noise?"

It was Jill's voice that much she could tell and by the sounds of it she had been awoken by the loud kitchen noises.

_Giggle. Bang. Crash. Giggle._

"Wouldn't you like to know Jill!"

Alice could hear the humor coming from the tone in Casper's statement and she knew it was Casper's. Sure he was American but part of his accent held an Australian pronunciation to it.

_Giggle. Crash. Giggle._

"Oh boy. Your on your own if Jill comes out here."

Rain had whispered that loud enough for everyone to hear but whether it was intentional or not she didn't know. Both Alice and Claire turned to one another and after a few silent seconds spent just staring at each other they burst into fits of quiet laughing, shushing one another when the laughter started to get louder.

Shaking with dimming laughter Claire leant over Alice and glared at the red LED lights that screamed 5:34 a.m. in bright room lighting numbers. Groaning Claire kicked the blankets of herself and sighed. "To damn early."

"Really?" Alice inquired.

"Yeah," Claire nodded. "I don't think I've ever gotten up this early in my life. Not even as a baby."

"Another thing to add to things-that-you-never-grew-out-of." Alice chuckled but found herself face to face with a pillow that was connected to Claire's arm.

Alice laughed even louder raising her hands up in defense as the pillow continued to connect with her. Finally grabbing the pillow she wrestled it away from Claire before pouncing on the young woman, locking her hands in a vice like grip above her head while littering her with feather like kisses all over her face.

The sound of Claire laughing at squirming underneath her whilst trying to free herself from Alice's grip and avoiding the onslaught of feather kisses was enough to make Alice smile bigger than ever before. Yeah Claire was her life now. Placing one last kiss on Claire's lips she moved of the auburn haired woman and swung her legs over the sides of the bed only to have a pillow connect with the back of her head.

"I though you were injured?" Alice asked turning to face the giggling form on the other side of the bed with a raised eyebrow.

"Call it a miracle," Claire chuckled once again before following Alice's actions.

_Crash. Bang. Giggle. SHIT! Crack. Bang._

"For fucks sake!"

Alice and Claire both laughed out loud at Jill's outburst only to hear a pair stomping feet and the sound of a softer pair following behind the first pair.

"Come on," Claire nodded to the door from the other side of the bed. "We had best get out there before Casper winds up in a body bag and ends up being shipped of to the morgue."

"Yeah, he's starting to grow on me. I'll miss him dearly if Jill kills him." Alice laughed and followed Claire out the door and down the hall to were Casper was standing in a surprisingly neat and tidy kitchen with uncooked eggs and bacon on the table and bread being placed in the toaster by Rain.

"What the fuck could you possibly be doing that could make that much noise but not an ounce of mess?" Jill ranted waving her hands about, "Do you know what fucking time it is?"

Alice took her seat next to Claire at the small dining table in the kitchen. She knew Claire was just watching and awaiting for her que to jump in and stop an outright argument from happening. Alice however was happy to just sit and watch but if Claire needed her she'd jump in, in a heartbeat.

"Grouchy," Casper whispered from the stove to Rain who was standing by the toaster next to him.

"Grouchy!?" Jill's voice rose an octave. "You have yet to see me grouchy."

"You really haven't yet," Claire agreed with a nod, mischief and fear twinkling in her eyes.

Alice watched Jill heave, face red and if she were a cartoon Alice would swear that she would be able to see steam coming out of her ears. Jill's profile lasted a few seconds only to be replaced with a far more amusing picture of Jill staring up at the ceiling from the floor with a look of confusion on her face after Claire would have kicked her out of the bed. Laughing out loud Alice found herself as the center of attention both from everybody and of Jill's wrath something she had to admit she didn't want.

Clearing her throat she turned to Casper squelching down the laughter. "You making some for us?"

Casper nodded placed some just cooked eggs and bacon on a plate with toast while Rain filled up a glass of Orange Juice and handed it to Claire. Casper placed the plate of food in front of Claire and moved back to the stove.

"Your majesty Jill Valentine is next." He gave a small bow before returning to the stove and cracking a few more eggs.

In the corner of her eye Alice could see Jill's face soften but the moment Rain leant around Casper hand on his upper arm to steady herself from falling, Jill's eye twitched in what Alice knew as irritation having been on the recieving end before. _Interesting._ Turning back to Claire she noted that the younger woman hadn't seen any of the actions and briefly she wondered whether Claire would be jealous or not.

"Older Claire return from wherever yet?" Carlos asked taking the glass of orange juice handed to him from Rain.

Casper nodded. "She came in early this morning and said that she had somethings she had to attend to and she'd see us later."

"So what now?" Carlos asked looking around the group.

"We pass the time I guess. "Alice shrugged sharing the juice glass with Claire and taking a sip.

"I may have an idea about how to do that," Carlos raised his hand everyones attention turning to face him.

**I know I left it there but at the moment I'm on a role in writing cause as I said I gave my 'muse' a kick to get it into gear. Once again apologize for the late update. Hope you enjoyed. The next chapter will be up quicker I promise.**


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